Niagara University Ostapenko Center Hosts Discussion of Practical Ethical Issues in Xenotransplantation

Dr. George Bayliss, associate professor of medicine in the Alpert Medical School at Brown University and a nephrologist in the Division of Organ Transplantation at Rhode Island Hospital, discussed the practical concerns in allocation of pig kidneys to humans at a presentation sponsored by the Ostapenko Center for Ethics in Medicine and Healthcare on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.

Although pig kidneys have recently been transplanted into humans, none of the patients survived long after their surgeries. While these cases have suggested that pig kidneys could become a viable solution to the shortage of human kidneys, there are still a number of concerns that must be addressed, Dr. Bayliss noted.

One of the most pressing concerns around xenotransplantation is the fact that there are currently no clinical trials. Dr. Bayliss addressed the obstacles to designing these trials, including who would be selected to participate-those with the greatest chance of success, or those who are not eligible for other treatments? Once chosen, what responsibility would the patients have in following all trial protocols? How many people would have to be part of the trials, and how would they be recruited?

If clinical trials are eventually completed and xenotransplantation of pig kidney is approved, developing an allocation system that address ethical issues of autonomy, equity, and justice could be difficult, Dr. Bayliss acknowledged.

"These are major questions we have asked, but we don't have the answers yet," he said.

Made possible by the generous gift of Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko, the Ostapenko Center for Ethics in Medicine and Healthcare is dedicated to investigating the various ethical issues related to health care and medicine facing our local and global communities.