The role of research in transplantation.
In the past 50 years, organ transplantation has developed from an improbable laboratory exercise to a major therapeutic success. The surgical problems of organ grafting have, for the most part, been solved. Rejection of grafts is now partially understood and usually controllable by powerful immunosuppressive drugs. A steady improvement in patient outcome, especially following the introduction of cyclosporin as an immunosuppressive agent has resulted in a worldwide shortage of organs for transplantation. This has provoked serious ethical dilemmas in every country. These matters are summarised in the following text.
Calne
Roy Y
RY
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. calne@hermes.cam.ac.uk
D035843:Biomedical Research; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D019737:Transplants / Q000941:ethics
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine