International human xenotransplantation inventory

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Biology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Xenotransplantation presents risks of infectious disease transmission.
• Strict regulation and oversight are crucial for human xenotransplantation.
• An international inventory (www.humanxenotransplant.org) was established to track procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To collect data on human xenotransplantation procedures.
• To identify ongoing and recently performed xenotransplantation cases.
• To inform regulatory efforts and promote best practices.

Main Methods:

• Information gathered from scientific publications, congress presentations, and internet sources.
• Data collected over the past 15 years.
• Declarations from International Xenotransplantation Association members were included.

Main Results:

• 29 human xenotransplantation applications identified, with 7 ongoing.
• Procedures involved xenogeneic cells (e.g., islets, kidney cells, stem cells) and extracorporeal perfusion.
• Treatments occurred in 12 countries, 9 lacking national xenotransplantation regulation.

Conclusions:

• Clinical cell xenotransplantation is active worldwide, often without clear governmental oversight.
• Findings underscore the need for harmonized international guidelines and regulation.
• Informing health authorities, staff, and the public is essential for good practices.