The shortage of human organ donors and an increasing demand for them has spurred researchers to come up with other viable options for people who desperately need them.

Artificial organs

An artificial organ is a man-made device that is implanted into or integrated onto a human to replace a natural organ, allowing him to live as normal a life as possible. However, an artificial heart, for example, is not a permanent solution. It acts only as a ‘bridge’ until a human donor’s organ can be found and matched, says Dr Lela.

Xenotransplantation

Although research is on-going, cross-species transplantation raises a whole different set of safety and ethical questions. Xenozoonosis (the transmission of animal diseases to humans via blood or organ transplantation) and the transfer of animal genomes to humans are just some of the very serious concerns. This form of transplantation is considered only as a last resort.

Growing human organs

Scientists are developing methods to grow organs in the laboratory from a patient’s own cells, but these techniques have a long way to go before they become a reality. Although tissue engineering raises ethical questions concerning cloning and stem cell research, it is a potential solution to the organ shortage.