A 62-year-old man living with end-stage kidney disease died on Saturday, May 11, less than two months after becoming the first patient to receive a genetically modified pig kidney.
Richard Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital back in March. Surgeons predicted that the pig kidney could give Slayman up to two more years of life. (Related: World’s second human recipient of genetically altered pig heart dies after showing signs of organ rejection.)
The transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital announced in a statement it was deeply saddened by Slayman's passing and gave condolences to his family.
"The Mass General transplant team is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant. Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Slayman's family and loved ones as they remember an extraordinary person whose generosity and kindness touched all who knew him," the hospital said in a statement.
Pig kidney used in transplant genetically modified to function as human kidney
Slayman had been living with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes for many years. He received a kidney transplant from a human kidney in 2018. He had to go back on dialysis a year later and soon experienced complications. His doctors recommended the novel "xenotransplant" operation.
The kidney used in the transplant was genetically modified to remove the pig genes present in the kidney, replacing them with human ones that would enhance its capability to function as a proper human kidney.
Slayman's surgery lasted for four hours and was conducted with a "compassionate use" clearance under the Expanded Access Protocol. The protocol is invoked when patients confronting life-threatening illnesses have done all other treatment alternatives and only experimental ones can provide them with a chance to live longer.
Upon leaving the hospital following his recovery, Slayman was reportedly upbeat and confident. In a statement, Slayman's family remembered him as an inspiration for people worldwide.
"Millions of people worldwide have come to know Rick's story. We felt – and still feel – comforted by the optimism he provided patients desperately waiting for a transplant. To us, Rick was a kind-hearted man with a quick-witted sense of humor who was fiercely dedicated to his family, friends and co-workers," Slayman's family mentioned in a statement.
"After his transplant, Rick said that one of the reasons he underwent this procedure was to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive. Rick accomplished that goal, and his hope and optimism will endure forever. His legacy will be one that inspires patients, researchers, and health care professionals everywhere," Slayman's family added.
Follow DangerousMedicine.com for more news about so-called "innovative" medical procedures that are clearly very dangerous.
Watch this video reporting on an experimental pig-to-human kidney transplant conducted back in 2021.
This video is from the Hunter's Point channel on Brighteon.com.
More related articles:
Scientists pressuring FDA to approve use of bioengineered animal organs in human transplants.
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