An NHS hospital is selling placentas from new mothers for use in the development of anti-wrinkle skin creams and luxury shampoo.

NHS hospital sells placentas for cosmetic use
Telegraph article

Extracts:

"The practice made £5,000 for Poole Hospital in Dorset last year, but was today condemned by politicians and health experts.

The hospital has taken the placentas and passed them to Sigma-Aldrich, a nearby biochemical company, for five years.

Sigma-Aldrich extracts the placentas' valuable proteins, which it sells on to cosmetic scientists. Its customers include some of the world's biggest cosmetic companies."

"A spokesman said the mothers had signed a special consent form. However, the form states only that the placentas will be used for "research into...cancer, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson's disease and HIV/AIDS".

Their potential use in cosmetic research is not mentioned and mothers are not told that both the hospital and Sigma-Aldrich will profit from the trade."

Unethical and undesirable. A bit reminiscent of the Alder Hey organs scandal. - And I don't suppose anyone will get the sack for the misinformation/lies on the consent forms...)o: - You can never trust medical personnel in my opinion/experience.