Adrian Abalovich1,2, Shinichi Matsumoto3, Carlos J Wechsler1, Mariana E Carulla1, Martín E Siciliano2, Daniel Sznaider4, Joachim Denner5, Robert B Elliott6. 1. Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos Eva Perón de San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2. Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Buenos Aires, Argentina. 3. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory Inc., Naruto, Japan. 4. Hospital Municipal Dr. Diego Thompson, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 5. Robert Koch Institute, HIV and other Retroviruses, Berlin, Germany. 6. Elliott Enterprises, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recently, significant progress in both safety and efficacy has been achieved in the field of xenotransplantation, as exemplified by results from the first clinical trials of porcine islet transplantation. It would be of interest to learn whether the attitude of the clinical staff involved in such trials changes as the trials are carried out in their own hospital. METHODS: One hundred and four clinical staff members from the Eva Peron Hospital of San Martin (Buenos Aires, Argentina) where clinical trials of islet xenotransplantation have been performed and 92 similar staff members from the Diego Thompson Hospital (Buenos Aires, Argentina) where no such xenotransplantation has been carried out participated in the study. Data were collected anonymously using questionnaires. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between the acceptance of xenotransplantation by clinical personnel in a hospital that had carried out clinical xenotransplantation trials were observed when compared with the acceptance of a similar staff from the hospital that had not carried out such trials. CONCLUSION: This study shows that involvement in clinical xenotransplantation trials significantly changes the attitude of the clinical staff towards this technology and suggests that better information given to the society may increase acceptance of the xenotransplantation.
BACKGROUND: Recently, significant progress in both safety and efficacy has been achieved in the field of xenotransplantation, as exemplified by results from the first clinical trials of porcine islet transplantation. It would be of interest to learn whether the attitude of the clinical staff involved in such trials changes as the trials are carried out in their own hospital. METHODS: One hundred and four clinical staff members from the Eva Peron Hospital of San Martin (Buenos Aires, Argentina) where clinical trials of islet xenotransplantation have been performed and 92 similar staff members from the Diego Thompson Hospital (Buenos Aires, Argentina) where no such xenotransplantation has been carried out participated in the study. Data were collected anonymously using questionnaires. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between the acceptance of xenotransplantation by clinical personnel in a hospital that had carried out clinical xenotransplantation trials were observed when compared with the acceptance of a similar staff from the hospital that had not carried out such trials. CONCLUSION: This study shows that involvement in clinical xenotransplantation trials significantly changes the attitude of the clinical staff towards this technology and suggests that better information given to the society may increase acceptance of the xenotransplantation.