[Acceptability of xenograft in type 1 diabetic patients and by the general French population].
OBJECTIVE
The possibility of using pig xenografts raises the questions of their acceptability and the reasons for reluctance by patients and society, which have not been clearly investigated in Europe.


METHODS
A survey using a multiple-choice questionnaire was conducted to quantify the acceptability of pig xenografts in type 1 diabetic patients potentially concerned by xenografts (n = 377) as compared to a sample of the French population (n = 697).


RESULTS
Willingness to accept a xenograft was significantly greater among diabetic patients than the general population (64% vs 54%, P < 0.001). The notion of using pig xenografts appears to be rather well accepted by the general population, and more information might improve acceptability. The acceptance of xenografts in general and pig tissues in particular was higher in diabetic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Because the general population and type 1 diabetic patients are not aware of the sanitary risks specifically related to a xenograft, the decision to use xenografts cannot be based simply on the expectations of possible recipients. The sanitary risks need to be assessed before further xenografts are performed, particularly in diabetic patients whose risk/benefit ratio is not particularly favourable.
Deschamps
J Y
JY
Immuno-endocrinologie cellulaire et mol¿eculaire, universit¿e/Inra, ENVN, Nantes, France.
Chaillous
L
L
Gouin
E
E
Saï
P
P
D000818:Animals; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery*; D005602:France; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
Acceptabilit¿e de la x¿enogreffe chez des patients diab¿etiques de type 1 et dans la population g¿en¿erale fran"caise.