The Ethical Issue Of Xenotransplantation And The Catholic...

Ethics, as defined in the dictionary, are moral principles that help govern a persons behaviour or the conducting of an activity. Ethics must be taken into consideration when forming a decision towards major and minor issues in our society. Many ethical issues are present in our society: abortion, euthanasia and gay marriage. In my report I will be discussing the ethical issue of Xenotransplantation and the Catholic Churches response to it. Xenotransplantation is a procedure involving the transplantation of live cells, organs and tissues from nonhumans into humans. It provides an alternative way to treat serious and fatal diseases such as Alzheimer s, diabetes and Parkinson s disease. It also poses as a solution for the ongoing problem of organ shortage. Generally, Xenotransplantation is a reoccurring ethical issue as this specific procedure utilises organs from animals, such as pigs and nonhuman primates. Individuals who go through Xenotransplantation may experience difficulties with their identity and accepting the fact that a part of them is not entirely human. Ethical issues within Xenotransplantation include whether we have the right to use animals for human life, whether we should cross animals and humans together and whether it is acceptable in many religious traditions. Religions often contribute a lot of insight into issues such as these as their teachings, traditions and holy scriptures are always taken into c onsideration. The Catholic Church, Catholicism,