Pig organs for transplant patients
Two recent breakthrough surgeries show how far the science of pig to human organ transplants has developed. The science is thrilling, but is it the right way to solve the problem?
People die waiting for replacement hearts, lungs and kidneys. Could genetically modified pigs be the solution to a worldwide shortage of organ donors?
We meet the teams that have had impressive recent successes transplanting pig organs into people. We鈥檒l explore the huge leaps of genetic engineering that are making 'xenotransplantation' possible and ask if it鈥檚 even ethical to try.
In the studio with Marnie Chesterton, Dr Graham Easton guides us through the science of getting pig organs to work in human bodies.
We also hear from transplant surgeon Dr Devagourou Velayoudam and Professor Nadey Hakim, on how these breakthroughs might benefit India and Nigeria, and other countries which don鈥檛 have the same medical and research resources of the US.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producer: Ilan Goodman
(Picture: Two pigs on a farm. Photo credit: Charity Burggraaf/Getty Images.)
Last on
More episodes
Broadcasts
- Wed 16 Feb 2022 20:32GMT91热爆 World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Wed 16 Feb 2022 21:32GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia, South Asia, News Internet & East Asia only
- Thu 17 Feb 2022 04:32GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia, South Asia & East Asia only
- Thu 17 Feb 2022 05:32GMT91热爆 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Thu 17 Feb 2022 09:32GMT91热爆 World Service
- Thu 17 Feb 2022 13:32GMT91热爆 World Service except East and Southern Africa, East Asia, South Asia & West and Central Africa
- Thu 17 Feb 2022 18:32GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sat 19 Feb 2022 02:32GMT91热爆 World Service News Internet
- Sun 20 Feb 2022 02:32GMT91热爆 World Service Online, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
Podcast
-
Health Check
Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.