Pig-to-Human Transplants, Law Enforcement & Genetic Data, Anti-Racism & Ethics
October 22, 2021
Pig-to-Human Transplant: Hastings Scholar Responds to New Research
A new research study marked a significant step toward realizing the longstanding hope of using animal organs for life-saving transplants in humans. In the study, a kidney from a genetically modified pig was temporarily attached to the body of a deceased woman whose family had agreed to the experimental procedure. The kidney functioned normally and didn’t trigger rejection. Hastings Center research scholar Karen Maschke discussed some of the ethical issues in an interview with The Associated Press. “Raising pigs to be organ donors feels wrong to some people, but it may grow more acceptable if concerns about animal welfare can be addressed,” she said. “The other issue is going to be: Should we be doing this just because we can?” Read the AP interview. Maschke is a co-principal investigator of a new National Institutes of Health-funded study that will identify ethical and policy guidance on certain studies involving xenotransplantation—the term for transplanting organs from nonhuman animals into humans. Learn more about The HastingsCenter’s new xenotransplantation project.
Anti-Racism & Ethics
An event last week explored an anti-racism initiative co-led by The Hastings Center and a diverse steering committee of justice-focused bioethics scholars. Intended to serve as a model for future anti-racism initiatives, the session highlighted engagement strategies to bolster inclusivity and equity in the field of bioethics. Faith Fletcher, a Hastings Center senior advisor and an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, said: “There is a need to center and amplify the voices and scholarship of Black scholars across generations. Out of this critical need, the anti-racism and bioethics initiative was born in collaboration with The Hastings Center.”
Law Enforcement and Genetic Data Educating journalists
The next event in the “Bioethics for Journalists” discussion series is “Law Enforcement and Genetic Data,” taking place online on Tuesday, October 26. The moderator is Sarah Zhang, a staff writer for The Atlantic; panelists are Ellen Wright Clayton, a Hastings Center fellow who is an internationally recognized leader in the field of law and genomics at Vanderbilt University, and CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist for Parabon Nanolabs. This year’s events are presented in partnership with the Center for ELSI Resources & Analysis (CERA). Registration is open to journalists, journalism students, and journalism educators. The events series is part of The Hastings Center’s Callahan Public Programs, established by The Andrew and Julie Klingenstein Family Foundation and the John and Patricia Klingenstein Fund in honor of Hastings co-founder Daniel Callahan. Learn more.
Upcoming Events
Law Enforcement and Genetic Data: An Online Discussion for Journalists, October 26
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Pandemic Ethics: Reflections on Justice and the Common Good, a presentation by Hastings Center President Mildred Solomon at the Mayo Clinic, December 2.
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