Xenografts: are the risks so great that we should not proceed?
Animal organs could save patients needing transplants, but further research is necessary to resolve remaining problems with organ rejection. Furthermore, xenotransplantation risks transmitting animal pathogens to patients and to the general population. It would be unethical to proceed with clinical trials before principles and procedures for dealing with this risk are in place.
Collignon
P
P
Canberra Clinical School, Sydney University, Director Infectious diseases Unit and Microbiology, The Canberra Hospital, PO Box 11, Woden, ACT. 2607, Australia. peter.collignon@act.gov.au
Purdy
L
L
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses