Public Perceptions Toward the Clinical Trials of Organ Xenotransplantation

Abstract

The importance of psychosocial factors in allotransplantation has been well-established, and the myriad of personal and social issues that xenotransplantation raises for the society and future recipients have been partially addressed within the literature. But two questions need to be asked. Is the current level of psychosocial and theological knowledge with regard to xenotransplantation adequate? Is public support for this potential new form of therapy strong enough for clinical trials to proceed in the near future? In an attempt to answer these questions, this chapter will briefly review (i) the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for programs preparing for clinical trials, (ii) the initial findings of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) surveys on attitudes to clinical xenotransplantation, and (iii) a preliminary meta-analysis of the published psychosocial and theological literature on the subject. The preliminary results from UAB’s multilevel public assessment illustrate the importance of knowing the local population’s support for xenotransplantation and its willingness to consider the level of risk that it will accept. The majority of those surveyed were supportive of the procedure, although there was less support from non-Caucasians, possibly associated with a historic African-American distrust of medical research. The preliminary results of a literature meta-analysis suggest that our understanding of the influence of psychosocial and theological factors remains limited. Nevertheless, factors such as a person’s personal experience of organ transplantation, e.g., through a close family member or friend, support for deceased organ donation, an interest in biotechnology, a higher level of education, and a younger age are associated with increased support for xenotransplantation. The findings support the WHO requirement for inclusion of “public attitudes” as an essential component in the preparation for, and conducting of, clinical trials.