XENOTRANSPLANTATION

Abstract

There is a desperate need for organs to be transplanted. In an effort to curb the everincreasing demand, scientists are thinking of xenotransplantation, using animal organs to help suffering human beings. Xenotransplantation raises many legal and ethical questions that will need to be answered before such transplantations might be acceptable or even considered. There is currently no legislation or regulation addressing xenotransplantation directly in South Africa. Should such research be allowed, scientists will have to get ethical clearance from both animal ethics committees as well as ethics committees allowing research where human participants are involved.