|
||
Definition:
A xenotransplant occurs whenever an organ from a member of one species is transplanted
to a member of an entirely different species. For example, transplanting the heart of a
chimpanzee into a human being would be an instance of xenotransplantation.
There are a number of ethical issues raised by the process of xenotransplantation, only one of which involves the problem of raising animals for the purpose of donor organs. A more serious question about xenotransplants is that of disease: would humans contract new pathogens due to having the organs of other species? Some viruses (retroviruses) actually live inside DNA, and they would come along for the ride in a xenotransplant procedure. Once inside a human, such a virus could mutate into a new disease which we would be unable to fight.
The most famous example of such a retrovirus is the AIDS virus. Another potentially dangerous retrovirus is PERV. Porcine Enogenous Retrovirus is a virus found in the genetic material of every pig, and it has been shown that this virus can infect human cells. If it were possible to transplant pig organs to humans, as some want to do, it is not known if PERV would become a human epidemic.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What are Ethics and Morality?
Ethics is the formal study of moral standards and conduct. For this reason, the study of ethics is also often called "moral philosophy." What is good? What is evil? How should I behave - and why? How should I balance my needs against the needs of others?What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
