Rob Stein

The Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston says surgeons removed a genetically modified pig kidney from a New Hampshire man last week.

Doctors say they had to end the experiment because the kidney's function began decreasing.

The organ had functioned for 271 days, setting a record for genetically modified pig organs.

The recipient will resume dialysis.

Doctors hope pig kidneys, livers, hearts and other organs will help solve the organ shortage.

But so far, all the recipients have either died or had to have their animal organs removed.

Researchers remain hopeful, however, and plan to continue trying pig organs in more patients.

Rob Stein, NPR News.

The Health and Human Services Department says pregnant women fall into the same category as any other healthy adult.

They're eligible for a COVID shot as long as they first discuss the decision with a health care professional.

The eligibility of pregnant women has been unclear because of conflicting messages from federal health officials.

But in response to a query from NPR, an HHS spokesperson confirmed that pregnant women are eligible.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, however, goes further, saying the shots should be recommended for pregnant women, not just be an option, because COVID can be very dangerous for pregnant women.

Rob Stein, NPR News.

The three scientists are two Americans, Mary Brunko and Fred Ramsdell, and one Japanese, Shimon Sakaguchi.

The researchers won for explaining something called peripheral immune tolerance.

This is a key part of how the immune system protects but does not harm the body.

The Nobel Committee says the trio made groundbreaking discoveries that explain the function of cells the committee calls the immune system's security guards, cells called regulatory T-cells.

Those cells help prevent other immune system cells from attacking healthy tissue.

The three scientists will share more than $1.1 million.