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The Ethics of Xenotransplantation
A complex dilemma between saving lives and moral boundaries
Imagine facing one of the toughest decisions of your life: A loved one desperately needs a new organ, but the waiting lists for donor organs are endlessly long. Suddenly, you hear about a new technology — xenotransplantation — where organs from genetically modified pigs can be transplanted into humans. This method could save lives, but it also raises serious ethical questions. What would you decide?
The question of whether xenotransplantation is ethically justified touches on fundamental moral and societal principles. It’s not just a medical or technical decision but a complex ethical dilemma that must weigh human well-being, animal welfare, and potential risks to society as a whole. There’s no simple yes-or-no answer — just a balancing act between different ethical values.
As a lawyer and philosopher specializing in ethics (but not a medical expert or bioethicist), I explored this topic in depth for a seminar. This text emerged from an interdisciplinary university workshop for postdocs, summarizing our key insights.
Xenotransplantation is the process of transplanting living cells, tissues, or organs from one species (typically animals like…
