Pigs aren’t the future of organ transplants—stop acting like they could be

Pig-to-human organ transplants have shown minimal success. We ought to be investing in better, less cruel alternatives.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Rick Slayman, the first person to ever receive a transplanted pig kidney, sadly passed away less than two months after the procedure. While the hospital, Massachusetts General, has stated that there’s no evidence that the patient’s death was a direct result of the transplant, it’s clear that the surgery did not succeed in substantially extending Slayman’s life.