New guidance from the Vatican says Catholics are permitted to receive transplants of animal tissues for specific medical conditions – this as advancements in procedures involving genetically modified pig or cow organs continue to accelerate, reports The Independent.
An 88-page document, outlining ethical guidelines for such transplants, reaffirms earlier Church teaching, stating there is no objection to these treatments provided they follow best medical practices and avoid animal cruelty.
The text addressed xenotransplantation, or the transplanting of organs or tissues from one species to another, the Vatican having first approved such procedures in 2001, when they were in very early stages of development.
The Vatican document, drafted with the help of doctors from Italy, the United States and The Netherlands, urged scientists to pursue animal transplants in a manner that is “purposeful, proportionate and sustainable”.
It also called on doctors to disclose the risks of animal transplants, including the probability of rejection by a patient’s immune system and the possibility of causing infection from micro-organisms.
The Independent article – Vatican makes major medical announcement for all Catholics (Open access)
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