Aspectos bioéticos de los Xenotransplantes

Abstract

Introduction: Xenotransplants are innovative surgical techniques that arise in response to the shortage of human organs, providing an alternative source of organs to be transplanted and prolonging lives. These techniques consist of transplanting tissue, organs, or cells between different species. The organs of preference are pig organs due to their biological similarity to human ones; however, there are different problems for which different research and practices have been created that seek genetic modification to reduce immunological rejection, disease transmission, and ethical concerns. Literature Review: The first renal xenotransplantation in history was evidenced in 1963, while in 1964, the first cardiac xenotransplantation was performed; in this type of procedure, bioethics plays a crucial role in terms of evaluation and regulation as it must guarantee that ethical, moral problems and conflicts are correctly and adequately addressed in terms of animal welfare, justice and equity, safety, risk of diseases, and impact on the human-animal relationship. Conclusion: Xenotransplantation offers to end the shortage of human organs; however, there are several bioethical issues and doubts about whether this technique is correct for providing animal life and how good it is to have an organ of a different species. The different bioethical principles open a host of other doubts. Although there will always be a debate on these issues and people who are for and against them, the only clear thing is that if this technique overcomes the medical conflicts, it would be of great use to humanity.