Animals as source for human organ transplants Case Study

Animals as source for human organ transplants - Case Study Example The issue mainly relates to problems associated with xenotransplantation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problems raised and discuss whether the problems raised concern me or not. The paper will also explain the main ethical approach groupings that are most influential in my thinking about the case and the consequences most important to me regarding the case. Xenotransplantation prospect is associated with public health issues. It is reported that xenotransplantation is capable of transferring some risks to the wider society (Patel and Rushefsky 103). The major concern is that xenotransplantation is capable of transmitting infectious agents, like viruses from animals to human beings. It is noted that retroviruses are the major concerns since there exist several examples of such viruses moving from one species and becoming infectious in another. It is also noted that retroviruses fails to show signs of the disease at its initial stages (Institute of Medicine 42). Therefore, in case transplant patients become infected with a retrovirus, then the virus would be capable of spreading to the patient’s family, close contacts, carers and the entire population before it can be established that the infection has occurred (McLean and Williamson 43). The widespread introduction of xenotransplantation has cost implications to the health care system. Opponents of Xenotransplantation argue that the procedure would displace other methods, which are perhaps more worthwhile (McLean and Williamson 43). Therefore, the procedure should not be embraced. Institute of Medicine note that the argument is based on the fact that survival rate for xenograft recipients has been poor (42). As such, early recipients are the one being used as subjects of experiment for this technological development. Some of the issues raised with regard to the case concern me while others do not. The ones that concern me