Doctors at Guy's and St Thomas’ hospital are appealing for help with “ground-breaking” medical research - by asking the public to donate their faeces.

The hospital has launched a clinical trial to treat antibiotic resistance, which involves giving the stool of a healthy donor person to someone with an illness.

The donated stool undergoes processing and is turned into tasteless capsules, which doctors say is no different from taking any other medication.

“Faecal transplants” have proven life-saving for other illnesses, such as diarrhoea caused by the bug ‘C. diff’.

And now, doctors believe that stool transplants could help patients with other health conditions, such as antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) dedicating the week of 18th-24th November to the problem.

Guy's and St Thomas' is one of the first centres in the world to be conducting this research, however, however the Trust is crucially short of donors.

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Trial co-ordinator, Dr Blair Merrick, is encouraging Londoners to sign up.

“We do appreciate that stool transplants may seem a little ‘out there’, but the whole process is heavily regulated to ensure the safety of all involved. Donors and donations are screened so that no infections are passed on (similar to blood donation), and donated stool will be processed into tasteless capsules before being given to our patients (so it is really no different from them taking any other medication!).”

“Donation is really simple. We provide you with a sample collection device that fits over your toilet, you produce the sample, and then drop it off to us at the hospital. We can be flexible to fit around your schedule, and you can donate as frequently, or infrequently, as you like,” he said.

Doctors are looking for donors between 18-60 years old who are fit and generally healthy.

Volunteers must not be taking any regular medication or had any antibiotics in the last three months.

You can find out more by contacting blair.merrick@gstt.nhs.uk