In the United States, the first patient to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant died this Sunday, May 12. His doctors explain that it is difficult at this stage to determine whether this death was the consequence of the transplant carried out last March.
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With our correspondent in New York, Loubna Anaki
The operation lasted more than four hours. Last March, Richard Slayman became the very first living patient to be transplanted with a genetically modified pig kidney. At 62 years old, the American suffered from a kidney disease terminally ill as well as diabetes and hypertension.
Carried out by a team from the Boston hospital, this transplant marked considerable progress and hope for millions of patients waiting for organs. The kidney used had been genetically modified to eliminate porcine genes and add human genes to reduce the risk of rejection.
An alternative to traditional transplants?
Richard Slayman survived a month and a half. According to his doctors, there is no indication that his death was linked to his operation.
Mass General is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant. Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his… pic.twitter.com/I1dFqHZEmr
— MassGeneral News (@MassGeneralNews) May 11, 2024
This operation, called xenograft, the act of transplanting an animal organ into a human, could one day represent an alternative to traditional transplants. There are still many steps to take, including technical, scientific, but also ethical steps, before these practices become widespread.