Health

Animal-to-human organ transplants, or "xenotransplantation," raises some challenging questions: whether it's acceptable to make changes in God's creation, what risks these transplants might pose to recipients, and whether they merit the financial cost involved. These issues and others were explored by the United Church in a June 2001 biotechnology consultation and work with medical doctors and ethicists, and a policy proposal and background paper were approved by the April 2002 meeting of the General Council Executive.

Since that time, the church has continued to work on biotechnology issues, including a policy on genetically modified food and the patenting of life.

Information and Action

• Animal-to-Human Transplants: Background Paper [PDF: 9 pp/195 KB]
  This paper provides an in-depth look at the dangers of xenotransplantation as well as possible alternatives—particularly increasing the supply of donated human organs available for transplant.
• Animal-to-Human Transplants Policy
  In 2002, the United Church called for a ban on xenotransplantation and increased organ donations through members signing donor cards.
• The Patenting of Living Organisms
  The Canadian Council of Churches Biotechnology Reference Group has worked extensively on the issue of patenting of living organisms. See also the United Church's Genetically Modified Food policy.

Background, Resources, and Links

• Campaign for Responsible Transplantation
  A non-profit organization that believes that xenotransplantation poses a grave danger to human health because of the risk of transferring deadly animal viruses to the human population.
• Canadian Public Health Association Xenotransplantation Report
  The final report of the association on xenotransplantation concluded that animal-to-human transplants should not proceed unless a number of critical issues could first be resolved.
• The Organ Donation and Transplant Association of Canada
  This association works to educate the public about organ donation and transplant issues and encourage Canadians to become organ donors.

For more information, contact:

• Partners in Mission
  Tel: 416-231-7680 or 1-800-268-3781
  E-mail: Partners in Mission