Response to Selected Commentaries on the AJOB Target Article “On the Ethics of Facial Transplantation Research”

Allotransplantation or autotransplantation to the face, which first?

“…Therefore, we support the Louisville statement (Banis et al, 2004;Brown et al, 2007) and the current Cleveland statement (Agich and Siemionow, 2005) in that it should be decided very early in the reconstruction process if facial allotransplantation would not be the better option, before we have shot all our arrows, or even any.…”

Surgical, ethical, and psychosocial considerations in human head transplantation

“…While several of the unresolved questions can be addressed in well-planned experimental protocols in appropriate animal and cadaveric models, many issues and problems remain unknown. To ensure that productive research advances science and avoids destructive and unnecessary controversy and sensationalism that stifles progress, it is important to engage in open dialogue and debate with professional peers [11,39,65], potential patients, and the general public, through open forums [66], websites, print, and broadcast media. These conversations are difficult because of the different languages and agendas each community and individual brings to the table.…”

Radix Malorum Cupiditas Est

“…1 In this response, we focus on one of several issues discussed in said editorial, "immunosuppressive risks," and refer readers to journals less frequented by the readership of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for indepth discussions of this and the other topics. 10,12,13 We base this statement on three points. 11 Despite the importance attached to these projections, we contend that they are inaccurate and misleading.…”