<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-09-14</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000901219</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HGSI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237409</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BARABE TIMOTHY C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14200 SHADY GROVE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROCKVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20850</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>35273</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000.84</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 5,273 shares acquired under the HGSI Employee Stock Purchase Plan  as follows:
6/29/2007- 1,992 shares,
 6/30/2008- 2,281 shares,
 6/30/2009- 1,000 shares.
  This sale is i/a/w 10b5-1 trading plan effective 8/25/09</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Timothy Barabe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-09-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
