International issues in transplantation biotechnology, including the use of non-human cells, tissues and organs

A personal overview of the major points discussed at this international meeting in March 1998 is presented. Overall, it was a timely and very interesting meeting in which most of the issues relating to xenotransplantation were comprehensively reviewed and thoroughly discussed with an emphasis on trying to work out common procedures and policies and to gain public confidence in this novel field. There are still enormous hurdles to be passed with regard to assessing the risks of infection, the immunology of xenotransplantation, public acceptance as well as numerous ethical, regulatory and economic issues. However, there was also the clear message that enormous progress has been and is being made fast in all these areas and that therefore xenotransplantation is likely to come of age also clinically in the not too distant future. Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.