Surgeons transplant genetically modified pig's heart into human patient for first time

Summary

This Jan 22 ABC-Australia article makes the following points:

• USA doctors have successfully transplanted a pigs-heart into a human.
• The operation was described as highly experimental.
• The patient was unable to receive a human transplant.
• The patient knew that he had no other option and that there was a good chance that the transplant would not be successful.
• Pig used had been genetically modified to increase the chance that the heart would not be rejected.
• Last year the USA performed a record 3,800 heart transplants.
• Big demand for human hearts.
• Crucial to share information gained from the first pig-heart transplant.
• Whether it is ethical to breed animals to use their organs needs to be examined.

References

Recent Runway Posts related to this topic:

• Faecal transplant trial aims to reduce discomfort felt by people with Parkinson's disease | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)

References from the Web:

• JAN 2021 n a First, Man Receives a Heart From a Gene-Edited Pig | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine

• JAN 2021 A gene-edited pigs heart has been transplanted into a human for the first time | MIT Technology Review

• JAN 2021 Man gets genetically-modified pig heart in world-first transplant - BBC News

• JAN 2021 A gene-edited pigs heart has been transplanted into a human for the first time | MIT Technology Review

Source Information ABC Australia

• Article Source:  ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

• Media Check: ABC News Australia - Media Bias/Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com)

• Learning Outcomes: RUNWAY TOPICS: LEARNING OUTCOMES | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)