XENOTRANSPLANTATION

            There have been numerous developments in the subject of biotechnology. One of these advancements contains xenotransplantation, the transplantation of living tissues, cells or organs from one species to another. The purpose of human xenotransplantation is that it proposes a possible solution for the problem of the worldwide shortage in human organs because the number of accessible organs is not equal to the number of needed organs. According to some experts, the number of people waiting for an allotransplant (it refers to a same-species transplant such as human-to-human.) is progressively increasing without organ donations and approximately half of those demanding an organ transplant will die while on the organ donor waiting list (Anderson 205).As we can see, in theory xenotransplantation might provide good solution for organ shortage crisis. However, besides these advantages xenotransplantation contains some serious risks to consider before using it. Firstly, the risk of organ rejection is very high in xenotransplantation and due to the rejection patients might die. Secondly, xenotransplantation might cause some diseases because animal organs and tissues contain some viruses. This situation may affect badly receivers’ and also whole society’s health. Moreover, xenotransplantation influence patients’ psychology and animals’ welfare. Lastly, there are also some religious concerns about xenotransplantation. Therefore, we should consider these criteria when deciding against xenotransplantation.

First of all, xenotransplantation has three different effects on the recipient. The first one is the risk of rejection. Our immune system uses a diversity of tools to protect our body against alien organisms like bacteria and parasites. This would comprise defending against transplanted organs, tissues or cells. Hughes states the risk of rejection is higher in xenotransplantation and result of this rejection recipient may die (Hughes 20).  Therefore, the risk of rejection in xenotransplantation mainly contains the immune system most probably assaulting the transplanted organs and not identifying it because the differences between the donor mammal and the recipient are much greater. According to an expert “rejection is the major cause of the loss of allotransplants from unrelated human donors, so it can be predicted that xenotransplants will be much worse” (Cummins 52). In my opinion, people should consider the risk of rejection before using xenotransplantation because the level of rejection risk is very high and the result would be an excessive strict immune response which may aggravate the patient’s situation. Therefore, the risk of rejection can be one of these criteria when deciding against xenotransplantation.

The second effect on the receiver is the risk of dangerous diseases. Animal pathogens can be transmitted to humans. For example, some specialists assert that “Diseases like HIV, Ebola, Hepatitis B, and, most recently, bird flu, originated in animals” (Olakanmi and Purdy 2) . Therefore, xenotransplantation may also cause dangerous diseases because some diseases have already infected humans without xenotransplantation. In addition to that it might cause also new deadly diseases because some viruses might be harmless to their animal host, but they can be harmful when transmitted to humans. According to some researches one kind virus is harmless to Macaque monkeys, but fatal to humans (Sykes, d'Apice ve Sandrin 1102). For this reason, I think that people should against xenotransplantation until the risk of diseases is resolved because their health may be worsened. The most significant problem is the risk of spreading infectious illnesses to the broader population like in case of bird flu, pig flu. Hanson says that xenotransplantation represents a possible danger to the communal well-being even though it supplies a few advantage to individual patients (Hanson 22). We can understand from that xenotransplantation might cause a kind of epidemic disease and affect all people in the world. Therefore, people should think twice because their decision affects not only their welfare but also whole society’s welfare. Moreover, according to experts pigs are often used as a source for organs in xenotransplantation; however, pigs harbor a diversity of identified and unidentified bacteria and viruses (Olakanmi and Purdy 4). In my opinion, this situation increases the risk of disease because pigs are contains dangerous and undiscovered viruses. As a result, the risk of disease issue is very important because it affects both patients’ and other people’s health. That is why; the risk of disease should be noted when deciding against xenotransplantation.

Thirdly, xenotransplantation cause also some psychological problems. For example, some people believe that xenotransplantation destroys structure of our body and our characteristic depends on our body’s structure (Hughes 21). Therefore, because of this distortion people may have problem with their self-image and they may not be same person after xenotransplantation. This situation affects their psychology negatively. As said by Hughes “One cause of unease is the breaching of normally inviolate boundaries. This is seen in human organ transplantation. The recipient of a transplanted organ may feel that the boundary between self and non-self has been breached. ... With xenotransplantation, an additional boundary, that between human and animal, may become blurred." (Hughes 19). We can understand from that xenotransplantation may break boundaries between human and animal and at the end humans might feel themselves like an animal. They might have some trouble with their identity. Therefore, this issue should considered by people when deciding against xenotransplantation.

 Furthermore, experts have been trying several ways to overcome the risk of rejection and disease problem, but these ways are also cause another problem. For example, Hanson says that they use genetic engineering in order to change organs, cells and tissues of the donating animal and they try to create transgenic animals. By these transgenic animals, they can reduce the risk of rejection (Hanson 24). However, I think this situation raises serious problem about the welfare of the animals used in the clinical practice because these animals might be subjected to painful biological and surgical manipulations during experiments. In addition, in order to reduce the possibility of epidemic disease scientists try to raise possible donor animals in a pathogen-free environment. Scientists claim that “Donor animals may also suffer because of the conditions necessary for producing safe organs. To maintain a sterile environment, infant animals will be delivered by cesarean and kept isolated, causing much emotional suffering in social animals like pigs.” (Olakanmi and Purdy 2). We can understand from that donor animals are forced to spend their lives confined in unnatural, sterile environment, unable to satisfy their basic behavioral need, until death. In my opinion, this is also violation of animal rights because they cannot live their natural habitat, they are isolated from their environment. As we can see xenotransplantation affects donor animal’s welfare in a bad way. Therefore, people should also consider animal’s welfare and right when determining against xenotransplantation.

            Last but not least, there are some religious concerns about xenotransplantation. Religion is important because it acts a chief role in the daily life of numerous persons and also it might influence and restrain lifestyle choices and activities, containing which nourishment may be consumed or which medicinal cure may be undertaken. According to Sykes Islamic and Judaic rules ban the breeding and eating of pigs (Sykes, d'Apice ve Sandrin 1104). Therefore, some people might say that transplanting pig organs into Jews and Muslim would be forbidden. In addition, some religions have different opinions about this topic. For example according to the writer the central educations of Buddhism concerning the protection and minimization of damage to animals would make xenotransplantation unacceptable (Sykes, d'Apice ve Sandrin 1106). Moreover, as stated by Sykes Hinduism also has some problem about xenotransplantation. They believe that the body must stay complete to pass into the next life (Sykes, d'Apice ve Sandrin 1106). Thus, most likely they do not believe in transplantation and also xenotransplantation. In my opinion, health-related treatment should comply with religious rules because religion plays an important role in some people’s lives. As a result, people should consider religion factor, while deciding against xenotransplantation.

To sum up, xenotransplantation is one of the recent controversial fields of bioethics. Nevertheless in theory, an effective xenotransplantation practice can solve the problem of organ scarcity because thousands of people die because of the lack organ donations. However, several main moral problems need to be resolved before processing. One of them is effects on the recipient like the risk of rejection, disease and psychological damage. The risk of rejection and psychological damage cause some serious problems but these affect only individuals. However, the risk of disease may affect whole global society because these diseases may turn into a contagious illness like bird flu, pig flu. The result of this situation might be catastrophic. Another important point is religions’ viewpoint because religions can be very important for some people. They regulate their everyday life and decision according to religious rules. Islam, Christianity and Judaism look positively for xenotransplantation because it presents some benefits for men like alternative organ source. On the other hand both Hinduism and Judaism are against the idea of xenotransplantation.  They have different reasons. For example according to Buddhists animal’s welfare and rights is very significant. That is why they do not accept to use them in clinical exercise and they also believe that animals have human like characteristics. Additionally, Hindus believe life after death. Therefore, their body must stay complete. Consequently, people should consider these factors when deciding against xenotransplantation and also they should reject it.

Works Cited

Anderson, M. "Xenotransplantation:A bioethical Evaluation." Global Medical Ethics (2006): 205-208. Print.

Cummins, Joe. "Xenotransplantation: How Bad Science and Business Put the World at Risk from Viral Pandemics." Institute of Science in Society (2004): 50-26. Print.

Hanson, Mark J. "Case Study A Xenotrasplantation Protocol." The Hastings Center Report (1999): 22-25. Print.

Hughes, Jonathan. "Xenografting: ethical issues." Journal of Medical Ethics (1998): 18-24.Print.

Olakanmi, Ololade and Laura Purdy. "Xenotransplantation: For and Against." 2006. Web. 14.04.2014

                < http://philosophynow.org>

Sykes, Megan, Anthony d'Apice and Mauro Sandrin. "Position Paper of the Ethics Committee of the International Xenotransplantaiton Association." Transplantation (2004): 1101-1107.Print.

 Mustafa Enes Şahin