First Recipient of a Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Transplant Dies 8 Weeks after Historic Surgery [Video]

Richard Slayman underwent the historic surgery this March. The hospital reports that it had “no indication” the death was related to the transplant.

The last time I reported on kidney transplants, I noted that DEI readjustments are now being made for calculations based on the medical records associated with patients who have kidney issues and may require organ transplants.

Over 92,000 people are on the organ transplant list, waiting for a kidney. That represents 87% of the total number of patients who need new organs.

Researchers recently genetically modified pig kidneys in hopes of making more organs available quickly for patients needing a transplant before a human donor is available. The technology essentially removes the pig DNA components likely to produce an immune response in humans and replaces those bits with genes more compatible with our species. The modified pig embryos are then implanted into a sow.

As a result of the genetic treatment, the piglets are born with kidneys that can be used for human transplants. The …