In a first, U.S. surgeons transplant a genetically modified pig heart into a human patient
PBS NewsHour
Traces of a porcine virus have been found in a patient who survived for two months after receiving a transplanted heart from a pig. Medical experts have speculated that the infection could have played a role in his death.
57-yr-old David Bennett underwent the procedure in Jan. at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He was too ill to qualify for a human heart.
The transplant was an outstanding development that may help tackle acute organ shortages around the world.
This experimental treatment is still riddled with ethical and safety concerns and should be viewed with apprehension.