The Use Of Immunotherapy And Genetic Engineering

Xenotransplantation is a controversial medical procedure that has been debated by medical ethicists for many years. Xenotransplantation or Xeno is defined as the short-term transplantation of animal tissues into a human. It has been argued that the procedure is unethical because of the use of animal organs. However, twenty two people die each day waiting for an organ transplant, so we must act soon to save the thousands of lives that are still waiting. Xenotransplantation is a highly debatable procedure and offers a unique solution to the ever growing organ transplant list, making it a viable and worthwhile procedure.

The progress that's being made in the field of Xenotransplantation; the transplantation of an animal organ into a human host, is vital to the betterment of science and medicine and should not be hindered by the ignorant trepidation of a few individuals. The number of patients requiring organ transplants has exceeded the number of available human donors. For this reason science is looking to xenotransplantation as a solution which may yield access to a plethora of available organs.

Allotransplantation is the prime treatment available to humans with damaged organs (Cowan, 2011). However, due to a shortage of suitable organ donors, approximately 100 Australians die each year while waiting to receive an organ transplant (McCredie, 2010). To fulfil the need for organs, transplant specialists use the method of cross-species transplantation, also known as xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation involves grafting or transplanting live organs (heart, kidney, liver etc.), tissues (skin tissues) or a collection of specialised cells (pancreatic cells, brain cells etc.) from one species to another (i.e. pig to human)(NHMRC, 2002). Along with any risks to the recipient of the transplant, xenotransplant carries risks for the community as well. The general public is concerned about viruses transmitted through a transplanted organ from animals to humans which makes this topic a social and ethical issue. Hence, the government imposed a temporary ban of 5 years on xenotransplantation in Australia and New Zealand in 2004 (Vincent, 2009)(Writers, 2010). This essay argues if xenotransplantation should be banned permanently in Australia by equally considering the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment.

Xenotransplantation offers a viable solution to a growing problem, namely the dire shortage of available organs for transplantation, which is set to worsen as life expectancy increases. Thus, xenotransplantation has the potential to benefit those on waiting lists, reduce risks associated with living donors, ameliorate economic burdens on health care services and most importantly save lives. Figures from UK Transplant show the economic benefit of transplanting organs. A typical human-to-human kidney transplant costs on average £17,000 and £5,000 per year for immunosuppressant drugs. Dialysis, on the other hand, costs

Today we are in great need of a solution to solve the problem of the shortage of human organs available for transplant. The website for Donate Life America estimates that in the United States over 100 people per day are added to the current list of over 100,000 men, women, and children that are waiting for life-saving transplants. Sadly enough, approximately 18 people a day on that list die just because they cannot outlive the wait for the organ that they so desperately need to survive. James Burdick, director of the Division of Transplantation for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services confirms, “The need for organ transplants continues to grow and this demand continues to outpace the supply of transplantable organs”. The

Xenotransplantation is the process of transplanting of animal organs, tissue or live cells from animals such as pigs, into humans, simply animal to human transplants. This has many social and ethical impacts, but also has many helpful aspects which could possibly change the lives of many people in the world. There are many different opinions related to xenotransplantation discussing the ethics, social impacts and the potential for an outbreak in humans of an animal disease, are just a few.

Physicians today are faced with a growing list of patients awaiting transplants for organs that have failed, but there are not enough donors to meet these needs. Countries all over the world have a “human organ shortage” and the waiting lists for organ transplants only seem to grow longer (Melo 427). In the United States 62,000 patients needed a kidney, liver, or pancreatic transplant in the year 2001. Xenotransplantation, which refers to the transplantation of organs, cells, or tissues from animal species into human beings, has been heralded as a promising technology that will help us save more lives and lessen the dire shortage of transplantable organs.

Recent medical advances have greatly enhanced the ability to successfully transplant organs and tissue. Forty-five years ago the first successful kidney transplant was performed in the United States, followed twenty years later by the first heart transplant. Statistics from the United Network for Organ Sharing (ONOS) indicate that in 1998 a total of 20,961 transplants were performed in the United States. Although the number of transplants has risen sharply in recent years, the demand for organs far outweighs the supply. To date, more than 65,000 people are on the national organ transplant waiting list and about 4,000 of them will die this year- about 11 every day- while waiting for a chance to extend their life through organ donation

Xenotransplantation is the process where organs, tissue or living cells are transplanted between two species. In this case it is a heart transplant between a human and a pig. There are many issues that need to be overcome when it comes to xenotransplantation, as it is still in the preclinical stage. The two biggest issues are cross-species infection and transplant rejection (University of Walkato , 2011). For this process usually pigs are preferred compared to chimpanzees that are more similar

Xenotransplantation originate from Greek “xenos-” meaning “foreign”. It is the transplant or use of live nonhuman animal cells, tissues and organs in humans or between different species. A similar approach is called allotransplantation which is the same procedure, just within the same species. These cells and organs can be implanted or enclosed in a device that is used outside the body ("ex vivo perfusion"). Xenotransplantation can help human beings suffering from organ failure to save lives. Every day between ten and eighteen people die while being on a waiting list for an organ transplant, and the development of the technology that deals with xenotransplantation could possibly contribute to creating a decline in the number of people suffering from organ failure.

Biological and Social implications: Xenotransplantation is a really good idea, as it could help keep humans alive when there aren 't any donors available

The medical industry had been achieving more in the stage of medical advancements, though they are still in the early phase. Artificial organs have been one of those achievements. Although they have achieved such, artificial organs are not perfect. Most doctors as well as patients would prefer to replace a dying organ with a compatible human organ, rather than with an artificial or animal organ. Yet due to a there being less organs donated than recipients, artificial and animal organs are becoming more common in transplants. Most of this issue is because people are unaware of how organ donation works, the organs that can be donated, how many people are in need, and the advancements that have happened in the field. Organ donation saves hundreds of lives every year, but many lives are recklessly lost due to a shortage of organ donors.

Every year many people of all ages, have to be put on a donor list to get a replacement of a diagnosed organ that must be replaced to live. It is no secret that the organ transplantation list has a significant amount of people and every day a handful of them die. A average of twenty one people die everyday, according to the American Transplant Foundation. Many scientist and medically certified personals have been trying to come up with alternative genetic modified organs to give to needed patients, instead of waiting for a donor to come up. A alternate solution they have experimented with is xenotransplantation, the procedure that takes animal cells, organs, tissues, etc…, and replaces with what the donor needs, instead of having a human donor. The procedure has been experimented on for many years since the first transplantation between humans was successful. Nevertheless, xenotransplantation should not be considered because of the physiological beliefs, disease transmission, and of animal cruelty.

S. candidates on a waiting list for transplants, but less than 30,000 will receive the vital transplants. In order to address this shortage. Scientists are looking into different avenues to provide more option than just being put on a waiting list and hoping that an organ becomes available. One is Xeno-Transplantation, which is the transplantation of organs and tissue from one species to another. Through research, the most likely candidates are pigs, due to their comparable size, their rapid growth, and the physiological similarity of their organs to ours. One of the major factors is making sure that the organ doesn’t get rejected as a result of antibodies in the recipient’s immune system. That is with all transplants but when it is from an animal, there are more risks like the potential presence of pathogens that are deadly to human such as mad cow

As of November 30th, 2017, 116,080 people formed the organ transplant waiting list. On average, twenty people on this list will die today. The number of people that need an organ transplant continues to grow; every ten minutes a new name is added to the list. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for organ donation” (“Organ Donation Statistics”). In order for a deceased person to give organs, the organs must still be alive to donate. Organ transplantation improved greatly over the last century, but with an insufficient amount of organs available, it limits breakthroughs. In essence, new methods need to replace the unavailable organs. These methods drastically improve the process of organ transplantation, and in the future, the overall humans well-being.