First successful pig-to-human kidney transplant, performed at Mass General, raises ethical questions
AND THE QUESTIONS IT UNLOCKS JEN AND THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS SURROUNDING THE ETHICS OF THE PROCEDURE, WHICH HAPPENED RIGHT HERE. THE MOST PROMINENT INVOLVES ENSURING RACIAL EQUITY. IT’S A GROUNDBREAKING PROCEDURE. A GENETICALLY MODIFIED PIG KIDNEY, SUCCESSFULLY TRANSPLANTED. INTO A LIVING HUMAN BODY. THE RECIPIENT, ONE OF 100,000 PATIENTS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. THE IDEA THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE A KIDNEY OFF THE SHELF ON DEMAND IS IN A REMARKABLE INNOVATION IN THE FIELD OF TRANSPLANTATION. AND THE EXCITEMENT EXTENDS FURTHER FOR THE DOCTORS WHO PERFORM THIS HISTORIC SURGERY. BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF BREAKING BARRIER, CERTAIN KIDNEY PATIENTS FACE. WE HAVE FOR 30 YEARS TALKED ABOUT HEALTH INEQUITIES AND HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR. FOR EXAMPLE, AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER ETHNIC MINORITIES TO ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION. BLACK AMERICANS SUFFER FROM THE HIGHEST RATES OF END STAGE RENAL DISEASE, ACCORDING TO THE CDC. THE PATIENT OF THIS FIRST OF ITS KIND TRANSPLANT IS A BLACK MAN, 62 YEAR OLD RICHARD SLEEMAN OF WEYMOUTH, WHO FOR YEARS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL DIALYSIS FAILURES. IF THIS GETS INTO A WORLD WHERE MORE OF THESE BECOME AVAILABLE, WHO AMONG THE. PEOPLE WHO NEED KIDNEYS GETS THIS BIOETHICS CONSULTANT DOCTOR IN SU-HYUN SAYS CONCERNS EXIST ON THE PATH TOWARD ENSURING TRANS PLANT EQUITY. IF THE OUTCOME IS THAT IT’S NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS A HUMAN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, WOULD THAT CREATE A TWO TIER SYSTEM? HE BELIEVES THOSE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BY POLICYMAKERS. NOW. NEED TO GET ON THE BALL RIGHT NOW AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DISTRIBUTE THIS RESOURCE EQUITABLY AND DOCTOR HYUN ALSO BELIEVES THE LEVEL OF CULTURAL ACCEPTANCE FOR THIS TYPE OF PROCEDURE NEEDS TO BE STUDIED, AS CERTAIN CULTURES ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO USING PIG MATERIAL
First successful pig-to-human kidney transplant, performed at Mass General, raises ethical questions
A bioethics consultant who spoke with NewsCenter 5 shared concerns about ensuring transplant equity.
A bioethics consultant who spoke with NewsCenter 5 shared concerns about ensuring transplant equity.