Hughes J
Department of Government, University of Manchester.
J Med Ethics. 1998 Feb;24(1):18-24. doi: 10.1136/jme.24.1.18.
This paper considers the ethical issues raised by xenotransplantation under four headings: interfering with nature; effects on the recipient; effects on other humans; and effects on donor animals. The first two issues raise no insuperable problems: charges of unnaturalness are misguided, and the risks that xenotransplantation carries for the recipient are a matter for properly informed consent. The other two issues raise more serious problems, however, and it is argued that if we take seriously the risk of transferring new infectious agents from animal to human populations and the interests of donor animals, then a moratorium on xenotransplantation is called for. The paper finds that the recent Nuffield Council and Department of Health reports on xenotransplantation are insufficiently cautious in the conclusions that they draw from these considerations.
干预自然；对接受者的影响；对其他人类的影响；以及对供体动物的影响。前两个问题不存在无法克服的难题：关于违背自然的指责是错误的，而异种移植给接受者带来的风险则是一个需要充分告知并征得同意的问题。然而，另外两个问题则引发了更严重的问题，有人认为，如果我们认真对待将新的传染源从动物传播给人类的风险以及供体动物的利益，那么就需要暂停异种移植。本文发现，最近纳菲尔德理事会和卫生部关于异种移植的报告在从这些考量得出的结论方面不够谨慎。
