Operation Frankenstein: Ethical Reflections of Human Head Transplantation

Abstract

Practically every human organ is commonly transplanted providing temporary or permanent relief from a pathologic condition. Although organ transplantation can prolong life, the question arises as to whether it is ethical for any organ of the human body to be transplanted, particularly that of the human head. Plans have recently been announced to perform the first human head transplantation within the next few years; however, the ethics of human head transplantation have not been formally addressed. Here, we present several ethical concerns of a human head transplantation procedure, focusing on bioethical considerations, psychological consequences, and reproductive implications.