One Month After Experimental Pig Heart Transplant, Doctors Say They See No Signs of Rejection or Infection 37
One month after an experimental procedure to transplant the heart of a genetically modified pig into a patient with end-stage heart disease, doctors say the heart is functioning on its own and shows no signs of rejection. From a reoport: In September, 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette underwent the surgery, only the second ever performed in a human. Faucette's heart disease and pre-existing conditions made him ineligible for a traditional human heart transplant. "The physicians taking care of him believe his heart function is excellent," said Dr. Bartley Griffith, director of the Cardiac and Lung Transplant Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who performed the surgery. "We've had no evidence of infections and no evidence of rejection right now."
Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin, director of UMMC's Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program, said in an update shared on Friday, "we are withdrawing all the drugs that were initially supporting his heart. So now his heart is doing everything on its own." Mohiuddin said the focus now is making sure that Faucette has the strength to perform routine functions. "We are working very hard with our physical therapy team who are spending a lot of time helping him regain the strength that he's lost during last one month of hospital stay," Mohiuddin said.
Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin, director of UMMC's Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program, said in an update shared on Friday, "we are withdrawing all the drugs that were initially supporting his heart. So now his heart is doing everything on its own." Mohiuddin said the focus now is making sure that Faucette has the strength to perform routine functions. "We are working very hard with our physical therapy team who are spending a lot of time helping him regain the strength that he's lost during last one month of hospital stay," Mohiuddin said.
Am I a hypocrite? (Score:2, Troll)
I eat meat, but the idea of animals being bred purely as organ donors just seems to be on the wrong side of a rather blurred moral line for me.
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Soylent Pigs are People! PEOPLE!!!
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It's a good thing though that I have a lifetime prescription plan (I'm retired 8 years now) as I saw the list price recently, over $1200 for a 30 days supply.
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
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> over $1200 for a 30 days supply.
Could you buy from Canada or somewhere?
Creon Forte 25,000 x 100 is about US$40 in Australia with no insurance or subsidies. (e.g. a foreign tourist).
The equivalent in the US seems to be around $800! I hope they give you folks some free lubricant first.
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This is one of the main reasons I retired early at 62, as not only do I have and use this benefit, my disabled wife also does.
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I thought Medicare covered that sort of thing in the US, once you reach 65, no?
So 3 years medical insurance cover at 62 would be all you'd need.
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Re:Am I a hypocrite? (Score:5, Insightful)
That's an odd take. I'd say using parts from an animal to save a human life is more morally justifiable than chowing down on one simply because you're hungry. Not that I personally have a problem with the latter, but rather from the biological perspective that it is possible to survive only consuming plants.
Re:Am I a hypocrite? (Score:5, Insightful)
You've got your morality wires crossed on this.
Eating meat is taking an organ from an animal for your own benefit, however brief that may be. In this case, we are pretty much doing the same thing, except that that organ will serve a purpose for longer than it takes to pass through a human's digestive tract. I can also imagine this sort of tissue engineering research bringing us closer to viable lab-grown organs which could lead to practical lab-grown meat, ultimately reducing animal exploitation though this is speculative and a long way off. Even if that never happens and we are mass-breeding pigs for organ transplants, the number of pigs used for this in the next 25 years will be far less than what the US kills for meat production in a month. Also, it's not like the rest of the pig will be wasted; I wouldn't want to eat medically sourced pork, but I'm sure it will make its way into the pet food supply chain.
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"I eat meat, but the idea of animals being bred purely as organ donors just seems to be on the wrong side of a rather blurred moral line for me."
If you get such a heart, just leave the bacon and chops alone and you'll be ok.
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I eat meat, but the idea of animals being bred purely as organ donors just seems to be on the wrong side of a rather blurred moral line for me.
Let's say it was your daughter who needed a heart. Who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to breed a pig just for that purpose?
Re: Am I a hypocrite? (Score:3)
A Muslim?
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I eat meat, but the idea of animals being bred purely as organ donors just seems to be on the wrong side of a rather blurred moral line for me.
Others have pointed out the contradictions of this position... but contradictions in ethics are nothing new. Still, it's kinda fun to explore your moral intuitions around this one.
How do you feel if you eat the pig heart as well as the other meat?
How do you feel if you eat only the pig heart and discard the rest?
How do you feel if you eat the meat and then someone scavenges the carcass for the heart and stuffs it in a patient?
What if you were a cannibal and raised a human for meat, but transplanted their he
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I don't eat pork heart (except maybe in sausage, who knows), but I'm wondering if these genetically-modified pigs can/would be used for food or other purposes (even for dog food). I'd possibly be in agreement with you if they end up just throw the rest of the pig away.
BTW, pertaining to your post's moderation at the time I'm seeing it, I really hope there's a special place in Hell for these people who keep abusing the "Troll" mod.
Horse heart athletes in 50 years (Score:2)
I can see this being abused in 50 years, and Olympic athletes will have horse (or some other large mammal) hearts implanted so they can run faster and longer. Or eagle eyes so they can see better. Or other wacky modifications. You may think its crazy, but people literally willingly pay thousands of dollars for pieces of plastic to be implanted just for the aesthetic. If implants could also have a functional value it will be an arms race in sports and other areas.
At least with things like eyes, the brain may
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Your mom had a 1m schlong last night.
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Ever wanted a 1m schlong?
Yeah, a heart isn't the part of a horse most dudes are envious of. Though in all seriousness I think it'd be a major case of "be careful what you wish for"; getting an erection would probably kill you from the blood loss alone.
Just for shits and giggles, I asked ChatGPT what it thought and it basically said medical technology isn't up to the task and that it's unethical. IMHO, I think ChatGPT is just jealous that AIs will never have horse cocks.
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I can see this being abused in 50 years, and Olympic athletes will have horse (or some other large mammal) hearts implanted so they can run faster and longer.
I imagine there's a limit on (a) how large the heart can be and (b) how much the rest of the cardiovascular system can support. I also imagine doctors are/will be able to easily determine if someone has had a heart transplant. Of course, the athlete's desire for oats and grass might also give things away. :-)
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" Of course, the athlete's desire for oats and grass might also give things away. :-)"
Might just be a macrobiotic Vegan.
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Nah, not really. They would just go down the route car racing did - every wonder what "stock car" means? So in the future you'll have only "stock humans" allowed to compete in athletics. There will be a place for augmented humans too - but those will be niche things just like the "super modified" category of auto racing.
No sign of rejection or infection (Score:4, Funny)
Re:No sign of rejection or infection (Score:5, Funny)
... and has taken to eating slop for most of his meals.
Oh, let's stop with the editorializing about hospital food...
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For some reason, though, he seems obsessed with building from bricks, and laughing about fools, straw, and twigs.
No signs of rejection or infection ... (Score:2)
... yet. Give it time.
I welcome our new Pig-Human Overlords! (Score:2)
All will be better after we all become ruled by Animal
no BLT for me, thanks (Score:2)
The only side effect is that patient now barfs if he eats bacon. Doctors are not sure why.