Artificial Organs: A Step Toward Safer Living

The worldwide shortage of available donor organs provides little to no hope for patients wishing to have a chance at new life. According to the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, there were 79,466 patients on the U.S. National Waiting List as of January 1, 2002, with only 6,148 donors in the country that year. In response to the organ shortage, scientists have made recent advances in transplant technology with the development of two new types of organ replacement: xenotransplantation …

…usually hours. Artificial and bioartificial organs have provided an option of hope for waiting list patients and have already become a part of many people's lives. These devices have the potential of being further developed, without the risk of transmitting diseases from species to species. Clearly, scientists and engineers should direct their efforts toward improving artificial and bioartificial organs - for these devices hold the prospect of not only sustaining life, but also enhancing life.