Janice R. Andrews
Richard “Rick” Slayman, the first person to get a kidney transplant from a genetically engineered pig, died almost two months after the procedure, marking a significant milestone in medical history. His family and Massachusetts General Hospital, the facility where the groundbreaking treatment was performed in March, verified the news. Slayman, 62, had the transplant in the hopes of having a longer life, but tragically, things didn’t work out as planned.
The staff at Massachusetts General Hospital sent their deepest sympathies to Slayman’s family and conveyed their deep regret at his passing. They did stress, though, that there was no evidence connecting the transplant itself to his demise. As the first case of such a transplant in living people, Slayman’s case was a major turning point in medical research. Before then, brain-dead donors had only ever had temporary kidney transplants from pigs. Although two individuals had previously had heart transplants from pigs, the results were not good; both men died within a few months.
Slayman has a turbulent medical past; in 2018, he had a kidney transplant at the same facility. Sadly, last year the transplanted kidney started to show symptoms of failure, requiring a return to dialysis. Due to dialysis complications that required repeated treatments, his medical staff recommended the novel kidney transplant from a pig.
Slayman’s family thanked his medical staff for their unwavering efforts in a statement. They were grateful for the extra time that Rick gave them after the xenotransplant, and they treasured the memories created during that time. The family highlighted Rick’s selfless drive, emphasizing his want to give hope to the innumerable others in need of life-saving transplants.
Immune rejection has long been a barrier to xenotransplantation, the practice of treating human patients using organs or tissues from animals. However, recent developments have given this sector fresh promise, including as genetic changes in pigs to make their organs more compatible with humans. With thousands of kidney patients dying annually while waiting for transplants, and over 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list, technologies such as xenotransplantation provide a ray of hope in the face of an acute organ shortage.
Slayman’s legacy will live on as a testament to bravery and optimism, motivating further progress in medical research targeted at preserving lives and enhancing the quality of life for countless others all over the world. Despite the conclusion of his adventure, the quest for medical advancements carries on because of the desire to improve the lives of others who are less fortunate.
