The road to clinical xenotransplantation: a worthwhile journey

Abstract

Xenotransplantation carries numerous ethical dilemmas. In the Position Paper of the Ethics Committee of the International Xenotransplantation Association, Sykes et al. diagram important ethics issues including respect for clinical subjects characterized by proper informed consent, and beneficence to the patient and the community at large, highlighting the possible risk of porcine endogenous retroviruses and xenotourism. We propose optimizing informed consent to take into account the psychological, scientific, and ethical nuances of xenotransplantation. Moreover, regulation of xenotourism should mirror established U.S. guidelines for visitors with communicable diseases, thereby not limiting the rights of xenotransplant recipients.