A pig's heart in a human heart transplant op. Is it fair enough to save someone's life? Or is it immoral?
2006-06-06 06:02:19 · 14 answers · asked by welly 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
The one poster noted rejection issues, and there are numerous ones. Naturally, animal organ transplantation can never replace human organ transplantation (though stem cell research does offer some hope to replace the latter in 50-100 years).
It is moral to sacrifice an animal life to save a human life from the perspective that a human life is more valuable than that of an animal
2006-06-06 06:09:36 · answer #1 · answered by niuchemist 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If it were possible, and through genetic manipulation it may well become possible, I personally would not have any problem with this as long as the procedure was safe.
If we are prepared to breed pigs just for meat to eat then I can see no problem in breeding pigs to provide hearts to save human lives.
However I can see that some people would have problems with this. Would a vegetarian accept a heart from a pig to save their own life? Also there are several religions that do not allow the eating of meat from pigs. Would the use of a pig heart for transplantation be considered taboo by these religions?
2006-06-06 13:26:53 · answer #2 · answered by John H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So we eat meat, and the difference in using the organs of these animals is what?
And so the only question left is now whether the people who would recieve these transplants would find them acceptable. Each to thier own I guess, but if I were the one needing the transplant and xenotransplantation were possible then I wouldn't hesitate to reduce the waiting list for human donor transplants.
2006-06-06 15:42:03 · answer #3 · answered by scaryclairy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that we should. If it can save a life, then go for it as long as it does not hurt the animal species on earth. Also the first heart transplant was that of a baboons into a human.
2006-06-06 14:59:35 · answer #4 · answered by Saltwater Pirate 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The average human (I say average) will eat several whole cows, pigs, sheep, (if they go to the local take away a large selection of dogs and cats as well) over their lifetime, all this with vegitarian alternatives available.
Of course we should use animal organs (if possible) to save human lives - We already use animals for food it would be morally unjust to slaughter and eat a pigs heart but not be able to use it to save a human life.
2006-06-06 18:03:28 · answer #5 · answered by trevb1256 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think some parts of pigs/cows are transplanted even now.If it saves a valuable human life there is nothing wrong.If animals can be killed for eating why cannot they be used to save human life?
2006-06-08 06:42:03 · answer #6 · answered by leowin1948 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not immoral but I have doubts that it'll work.There is something about mixing differant species that just doesn't work.I've heard of them trying to use a monkeys heart in a baby and the babys body rejected it,but have also heard of them using pig skin for skin grafts,and never heard how that turned out.
2006-06-06 13:17:39 · answer #7 · answered by Granny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't see how its any more 'immoral' than eating the internal organs of an animal, but rejection rate is too high to make it viable.
2006-06-06 13:14:21 · answer #8 · answered by phonics babe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not a moral issue to anyone with a brain. Of course we should use them if they can save lives. Anyone who believes otherwise is uncaring and probably twisted in some dark way by some religion or other.
2006-06-06 13:06:35 · answer #9 · answered by sam21462 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No problem. But would a Jew accept an organ from a pig?
2006-06-08 06:37:57 · answer #10 · answered by bwadsp 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋