Animal Organ Transplantation: Ethical Concerns

Organ transplantation refers to the replacement of a damaged organ from one person and to the body of a recipient. Over the last century with advanced technological developments, the techniques of organ transplantation become successful by overcoming major technical limitations. It has enabled people to live a less painful and longer life. It has reduced perpetual visits to hospitals or the need to have surgeries and medicines.

• People have been able to see due to corneal transplants, prevent frequent dialysis due to kidney transplants, and prolong survival with heart transplants. Through transplantation, medical professionals have been able to correct congenital disabilities that endanger a person’s life.

Xenotransplantation

• Xenotransplantation refers to transplantation of organs into a human recipient, from a non-human animal source. Several attempts have been made to transplant animal organs into human beings since early 21^st Century. But, interest in such techniques has increased in last few years because it is being increasingly viewed as an alternative to human organs for transplantation.

Need for Xenotransplantation

• The success of a transplant depends upon obtaining an adequate supply of human organs. The supply of human organs for transplantation is restricted and which creates deficiencies in supply of such organs.
• Over the past 100 years, as the benefits of transplantation have become more apparent, it has also created high demand for this form of treatment, which has further led to shortage of human organs.
• In India, according to rough estimates, there is a need of about 1.5 to 2 lakh kidney transplants every year, while only about 8,000 transplants occur.

Ethical Issues involved in Animal-Organ Transplant

• Man as a Creator: The most important ethical issue involved in transplant of animal organs into humans is that it allows the mankind to take the place of God. Mankind is increasingly transforming from being a creation to being a creator with the use of modern technologies such as genetic engineering.
• The Unnatural Debate: Using an animal’s organ for humans is perceived as "unnatural" and is considered as an inappropriate interference in nature as it involves breaking usual boundaries among biological species.
  • There is lack of scientific certainty whether the transplanted organ can function as desired in the human body because some organs such as liver have complicated functions that may be different in different species.
• Transfer Diseases: There is lack of certainty and scientific evidence regarding the transfer of viruses and diseases from animals to humans. Various microorganisms living in animals are yet unknown and undiscovered and humans have very less knowledge of their nature and effects. It also puts various members of society at risk because infections can be transferred to family members and other members of the community.
• Suppressed Immunity: The organ receiver has to take immunosuppressive drugs before and after the procedure to prevent organ rejection, which also intensifies the possibility of infectious diseases as it changes the immune response to the viruses.
• Issues of Consent Withdrawal: In case of appearance, infectious diseases withdrawal of patients’ consent is not possible as the patient must accept the operation but also be obligated for cooperation during follow-up treatment to control side effects. Therefore, it is impossible to withdraw from informed consent in phases after transplant process.
• Psychological Issues: Animal organ transplant may also cause major psychological problems for the recipient as every individual perceives his/her body in a specific manner.
• Confidentiality: There are also issues of confidentiality and if the recipient of their family gets infected then keeping the transplant confidential is difficult.
• Commercialisation: Animal body organs will be considered like properties for selling and purchasing, which will lead to a gradual disappearance of altruistic donations.
• Animal Rights: In modern world, animals are also considered as holders of rights and their interests should also be protected similar to the interests of human. Therefore transplant of animal organs into humans is also considered against the concept of animal welfare.