NEWS . . . . . A jury of ordinary citizens from diverse backgrounds is advocating that Health Canada takes a cautious approach to xenotransplantation the transplantation of organs from animals to humans.
Xenotransplantation is a possible solution to Canada s ever-growing shortage of organs for donation.
But, while science may make it possible for a human to live with a pig s heart, this new technology raises a wide range of ethical, health, scientific, and regulatory issues. Fifteen residents of Calgary and the surrounding area tackled this complex issue as part of a citizens' jury sponsored by the University of Calgary. Over two weekends in November, the jury listened to expert presentations, deliberated the issues amongst themselves, and arrived at a set of recommendations for Health Canada. In its final report, the jury stated that it is concerned about the unknown risks of xenotransplantation. This includes the potential transmission of animal viruses to humans.