Animal to Human Transplantation: It’s a matter of religion
Last week we had a chat about animal welfare, but in this week’s column we’re going a bit heavier and looking at the issues surrounding spirituality and culture that animal to human transplantation raises.
(NOTE: More information on this can be found in the discussion document,“The Cultural, Spiritual and Ethical Aspects of Xenotransplantation: Animal-to-Human Transplantation”, check it out at www.bioethics.org.nz.)
What’s religion got to do with it?
People’s views on animal to human transplantation are often influenced by things like their cultural and spiritual background, their personal or family members’ medical conditions and their understanding of the technologies involved.
Obviously, if you or someone you love could be helped by this type of procedure your feelings about it would be different, than if it appeared to have nothing to do with your life and you could view it purely hypothetically.
One objection to animal to human transfer is that it disregards the appropriate relationship between humans and nature, or between humans and God.
What do religious groups think?
But that’s not to say religious groups are opposed. An Australian survey on the topic received submissions from Christian, Jewish and Islamic representatives who agreed that animal to human transplantation is acceptable.
On a world scale, it appears that this issue also gets the tick of approval with most of the major religions finding it ok – even Islam and Judaism, which forbid the eating of pork, accept animal to human transplantation on the basis that humans have a higher place in the world and therefore should be able to use animals, as long as animals are treated with respect.
A number of religions that object to transplantation, such as Hindu or Buddhist faiths, still allow the individual to make a choice.
So should it come down to individual choice?
Some argue that those who object to animal to human transplantation are able to themselves reject a transplant, but should not be able to impose their views on others, especially those who need treatment. It is often said that for those touched by real cases, of their own or a loved one, cultural or spiritual concerns are often irrelevant.
So the key questions to ask yourself are;
What spiritual or cultural perspectives influence your view of this procedure?
To what extent should cultural and spiritual views about animal to human transplantation be taken into account when the government is making a decision about the use of this technology?
What do you think?
These are yet more of the issues that need to be considered, what do you think?
The Council encourages you to become involved in one or more of the following dialogue activities taking place until May 2005:
Attend a dialogue event in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin. Details of the approach of these meetings are available on the website. Register your interest by email xeno@bioethics.org.nz, so that we can contact you to provide further information on the dialogue programme.
Make a submission by mail, email or online.
Get together with whanau, friends or workmates and have a discussion. The Council wants people thinking and talking about these topics, even if you do not end up writing anything down. The website has links to ideas on running dialogue groups.
but in this week’s column we’re going a bit heavier and looking at the issues surrounding spirituality and culture that animal to human transplantation raises.