Nr. 3 - 3. Quartal 2002

Xenotransplantation of Cells, Tissues or Organs: Scientific Achievements, Ethical Justifiability and Legal Permissibility
Report of the Results of a Study of the Europäische Akademie zur Erforschung von Folgen wissenschaftlich-technischer Entwicklungen

J. P. Beckmann, W. Müller-Ruchholtz

The book deals with the procedure of "xenotransplantation" not only in an interdisciplinary manner, but in an integrative one: into each of the eight chapters, headed by one the eight disciplines (biology, immunology, virology, genetics, human- and veterinary medicine, philosophy and law) contributions by the other disciplines have, if indicated, been integrated. This method is applied in order to describe the present state-of-affairs of each discipline with regards to xenotransplantation and at the same time to apply an ethical and legal analysis, in order to avoid the well known dilemma that the reflection on the admissibility of a scientific procedure takes place only after the procedure has already been established. Besides the discussion of the anatomico-physiological, biological, genetic, immunological, virological, human- and veterinary medical problems of xenotransplantation and the discussion of the ethical and legal implications also biotechnological alternatives are being discussed as well as the forseeable costs of the application of this medical procedure. Although the book is in German, it contains an introduction and a summary of contents (pp. 20-36) and the recommendations (pp. 315-319) in English translation.

Key words: animal ethics, biotechnology, costs, ethics, genetics, immunology, legal regulations, organ shortage, risk assessment, virology

Prof. Dr. Jan P. Beckmann
Institut für Philosophie
Forschungs-AG Xenotransplantation
Fernuniversität Hagen
Feithstr. 140
D-58084 Hagen

Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. Wolfgang Müller-Ruchholtz
Institut für Immunologie
Klinikum der Universität Kiel
Brunswikerstr. 4
D-24105 Kiel

PABST SCIENCE PUBLISHERS Lengerich, Berlin, Riga, Rom, Wien, Zagreb