Within just a few years, a growing number of surgeons expect to be able to transplant cells, tissues, and organs from baboons, pigs, and other animals into humans as accepted therapy for a number of life-threatening conditions and diseases. Driven by scientific innovation and powerful medical need, the field of cross-species transplantation, or xenotransplantation, is moving ahead with several ground-breaking experimental human procedures this year, and more expected in the near future.
EXERCISING RESTRAINT: Thomas E. Starzl has put the University of Pittsburgh xenotransplantation program onhold pending a better understanding of the problems.
Infectious disease experts have raised public health warnings about new viruses with epidemic potential that may piggyback on the transfers from animals to humans. Some researchers--including several responsible for major advances in transplantation in the past--say that the current scientific base is insufficient to support experimental xenotransplantation involving humans. They fear that, unless those within the transplantation ...
