PETA Condemns Xenotransplantation After Death Of Historic Kidney Patient
The transplant of a genetically altered pig kidney into a human was hailed as a milestone, but PETA's Senior Science Policy Manager Julia Baines alleged the organ transplant was a failure in a statement. Massachusetts General Hospital said there was no indication the organ was related to the death of the patient.
Newsweek:
Pig-To-Human Transplants Condemned As 'Cruel And Dangerous' After Death
Animal rights organization PETA has condemned the use of animal organs in human transplantation after the world's first living recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney passed away just weeks after receiving the organ transplantation. ... The transplantation was celebrated as a "historic milestone" in medical research, which experts hope will make organ transplantation more readily available in the future. However, not everyone agrees with the use of animals in this technology. (Dewan, 5/15)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Paying Kidney Donors Would Save Lives, Advocates Say
Gregory Hess was running out of time. His kidneys had stopped working. He’d die without an organ transplant. For two years, Hess had scrambled to find a kidney donor. Friends and family offered to donate, but each potential donor got ruled out for medical or logistical reasons. Hess, an emergency medicine doctor from Wayne, began flying around the country to register with multiple transplant centers, which improved his chances of getting a kidney on a waitlist with roughly 90,000 Americans. (Ruderman, 5/16)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Kidney Donation Was One Act Of Kindness Out Of Many For This South Jersey Woman
Lauren Sheppard decided to perform “28 acts of kindness” for her 28th birthday. She paid for the customer behind her at the Dunkin’ Donuts drive-through, left flowers at neighbors’ doorsteps, and wrote heartfelt cards to friends. And, she donated a kidney to a stranger. “It was a no-brainer,” Sheppard said. “I don’t need it. Somebody else does. I’m going to give this away.” (Ruderman, 5/16)
Also —
Chicago Tribune:
Northwestern First In Illinois To Reach 10,000 Abdominal Transplants
Twenty-eight years ago, Brad Szczecinski was at a volleyball tournament in prime physical fitness when he ended up in the emergency room. His blood pressure spiked, and he learned quickly he would need a new kidney — the main regulator of blood pressure in the body. (Kalra, 5/15)
