Xenotransfusion

Xenotransfusion, a form of xenotransplantation, was initially defined as the transfer of blood from one species into the veins of another, and in most cases it is a transfer of blood between a non-human animal and a human, though further experimentation has been done between various non-human animal species. The procedure can be performed without affecting the health of the donor animal, since only about ten percent of its blood volume is used each time, and using an animal blood supply eliminates the risk of transmitting infectious diseases between humans. In 1658 the French monk Dom Robert Desgabets introduced the idea of xenotransfusion at a scientific society meeting that later became the French Academy of Sciences. The Ethics Committee of the International Xenotransplantation Association has since identified ethical concerns around the practice, including the need for a favorable risk and benefit assessment supported by preclinical data, the lack of alternative treatment for participants, and minimizing the risk of infection through strict biosafety standards for selected animal donors.