Public consultation on xenotransplantation

Abstract

Although xenotransplantation could potentially benefit individuals with organ failure, this new technology is both controversial and potentially risky not only to recipients and their close contacts but also to society as a whole. The Canadian government wanted the public to have input into the decision of whether to pursue this new treatment. Therefore, Health Canada hired the Canadian Public Health Association to design and perform an arm's length public consultation; this program resulted in some high-profile negative recommendations. I offer an alternative analysis of the data collected during the consultation, which results in different conclusions.