How Easyjet nearly stopped the groundbreaking stem cell windpipe operation in Barcelona

How Easyjet nearly stopped the groundbreaking stem cell windpipe operation in Barcelona
larger | smaller
By h,b, - Nov 20, 2008 - 5:17 PM

A fully recovered Claudia Castillo with her two children in Barcelona - Photo EFE

The crew of an Easyjet flight from Bristol to Barcelona refused to let the cells on board.

Following all the publicity earlier this week about the successful windpipe transplant carried out in Barcelona, where the use of the patient’s own stem cells means that she does not have to take anti-rejection drugs, comes the news that the entire procedure was at risk because of Easyjet.

The crew of an Easyjet flight from Bristol thought that the stem cells grown in Bristol University may be dangerous, and refused to accept them on board. As they only have a maximum lifespan of 16 hours, a private jet had to be hired at an additional cost to the procedure of 16,000 €.

The refusal by Easyjet came despite a confirmation made by Professor Anthony Hollander beforehand, that there was no problem for the German student, Philip Jungerbluth to carry the cells as part of his hand luggage.

Click here for related stories

mobile |

email this article | print

printer friendly page

More Spanish Oddities

Readers' comments:
Please keep to the subject. Opinions published here are of our visitors, not the Typically Spanish team. Comments which go against Spanish laws or which are libellous are not allowed. We reserve the right to delete any comment we wish. Placing a comment indicates you have read our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema. Escribir un comentario indica que has leído nuestros condiciones de uso y politica de privacidad.