Researchers at the University of California are trying to develop a pig whose organs contain some human DNA which will make it possible to use those organs in humans without rejection. Is this good news for those who will die waiting for a human donor or who don't qualify by reason of age?
I should think so, but of course we can always count on popular superstition, fear of the new and the love of making money from it. So as soon as hope emerges, headlines pop up to dash them. "Trading Ethic for Organs" blares the article, because if your 14 year old daughter needs a heart, if your dear mother needs a kidney or a marrow transplant, you're certainly going to have too much sympathy for a pig.
And of course this pig with some human DNA is successful, it will be GENETICALLY MODIFIED, and you all know what that means! All the other pigs will die, and the bees too and if you eat bacon you'll start to oink and maybe even vote Republican. That's just before the sky falls, of course.
Genetically modified pigs with human DNA? Sounds a bit redundant.
ReplyDeletePigs should be insulted.
ReplyDeleteScientists can currently grow certain body parts such as ears and skin from stem cells which can be ethically harvested from umbilical cord blood. There is ongoing research being done on cloning organs using patients own cells. The heart would probably be the likely first organ due to the fact that is really a rather simple muscle that works as a pump and that's about it. While kidneys will be more of a challenge as they do multiple jobs including producing certain hormones which makes them a much more complex structure. Promoting this line of research will save the pigs, cows, horses and whatever else is in the organ barn while providing an ethical, renewable source for transplants, etc.
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