People’s attitude toward xenotransplantation: affective reactions and the influence of the evaluation context

Abstract

The present study demonstrates that the evaluation context may increase the impact of affective reactions and reduce healthy people's ability to use information on the potential benefit of a novel biomedical technology. Regardless of the evaluation context, patients always rely on affective reactions and show an overall preference for the human organ.

Attitude toward xenotransplantation of patients prior and after human organ transplantation

“…It was possible to significantly increase the acceptance of xenotransplantation by using the attraction effect: organs from pigs are chosen more frequently if the set of alternatives is enlarged by adding a new option, which is equally available but more aversive than pig organs (15). Analytical information, such as data on the availability of donor organs seemed to play a minor role in decision making (16).…”

Meta‐analysis of public perception toward xenotransplantation

“…Preliminary review of the 19 studies being considered, presented with considerable independent variable heterogeneity, and exhibited significant variability in the questions asked . However, the majority reported that, among those surveyed, >50% supported XTx, with a range from as low of 37% to a maximum of 83% . Of the 19 data‐based studies, 12 were considered for inclusion in our study, but only eight provided original data in a usable format for meta‐analysis .…”

“…Of the 19 data‐based studies, 12 were considered for inclusion in our study, but only eight provided original data in a usable format for meta‐analysis . Two of the 12 articles were excluded because the data were very similar to attitudes toward xenotransplantation in other articles. Another article was excluded because the data and population were the same as those presented in a previously published study.…”

Attitudinal study of organ xenotransplantation in patients on the kidney and liver transplant waiting list in a country with a high rate of deceased donation

“…Therefore, in situations of extreme urgency, solid organ xenotransplantation could be used as a bridge until the arrival of a human organ [2,7]. However, although xenotransplantation could minimize time spent on the organ transplant waiting list, it could also cause psychosocial and ethical problems [8–11]. This is especially important in populations such as that of Spain, where there are pre‐clinical xenotransplantation projects [4], and therefore, there is a possibility of carrying out a xenotransplantation bridge to a human.…”