Quote:
Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek
Has anyone read the article in "NewScientist" magazine about xeno organs? It was just saying that in the near future, a person in need of a heart transplant could be offered a pigs organ. I guess there was a group of people who met in China to talk about certain global guidelines in regards to the first clinical trials of xenotransplants. Is there a short supply of human organs or something, because I can't see how this would be possible. It just seems like they would have to make a lot of genetic changes to prevent the organs from being attacked/rejected as foreign by the immune system. I thought it was a great article though.
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This isn't an out-there concept. You know that we already implant pig valves into people who need new heart valves. When you get a new valve, there are three options, cadaveric, pig or mechanical. Patients do not go on anti-rejection drugs with pig valves because our immune system accepts pig parts fairly well.