바이오장기 연구윤리

Abstract

Xenotransplantation denotes the transplantation of cells, tissues, or organs between different species. Because of the shortage of the human organs to be transplanted, many patients suffer or sometimes die during their waiting. Xenotransplantation may be one possible solution to the shortage of the human organ. But we should solve the problems raised by infection of the porcine endogenious viruses and immune-rejection before we treat the patients through xenotransplantaion. Even if we can solve these scientific problems, there are some ethical and legal issues we should consider. In particular, the production of transgenic aseptic pigs through the method of somatic cell nuclear transfer(NT), which is currently under way, may address problems such as ethicality of cloning somatic cell nuclear transfer technique and the fusion of human and animal inherited traits. Xenotransplantation also raised some legal issues: maintenance of respect for human dignity; legal restriction of the patients and their family members who transplanted the animal organs; an appropriate distribution of xenograft, etc. New biotechnology always have some risks. And people have some anxiety when they don't know much about the knowledge they face. But we should not ban some kind of biotechnology based on the fear. We should regulate the new technology based on the appropriate knowledge and risk-benefit analysis.