Richard “Rick” Slayman, the world’s first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant, died at the age of 62, only two months after undergoing the breakthrough surgery. Slayman’s death is a huge setback in the field of xenotransplantation, which has enormous potential for addressing the urgent lack of human organs available for transplantation.
Slayman, a 62-year-old New Yorker, had been suffering from end-stage kidney disease for years and had previously undergone a pig kidney transplants that failed. On March 16, 2022, in a last-ditch effort to save his life, Slayman underwent a historic pig kidney transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The surgery, performed by a team of renowned surgeons and researchers, entailed inserting a genetically modified pig kidney into Slayman’s body. The pig kidney had been precisely altered using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to delete 69 genes that cause rapid rejection by the human body while adding six human genes to make the organ more compatible with human physiology.
In the weeks after surgery, Slayman’s body appeared to be taking the pig kidney, and doctors were cautiously optimistic about his recovery. However, Slayman died on May 10, 2022, as a result of complications from the transplant process.
Slayman’s death has prompted concerns about the long-term viability and safety of pig kidney transplants. The preliminary results were encouraging, but the problems that led to Slayman’s death underscore the need for additional research and advancement in the field of xenotransplantation.
The medical world has expressed its sadness at Slayman’s passing, recognizing his remarkable work in xenotransplantation. MGH said “Mr. Slayman will always be seen as a symbol of hope for many transplant patients around the globe and we are very thankful to him for believing in us and pushing forward the area of xenotransplantation”. The hospital also mentioned that he was an “exceptional individual” who showed great generosity and goodness towards everyone he interacted with.
Slayman’s path had its difficulties. He had been coping with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension for some time, plus he went through a kidney transplantation in the year 2018 that began failing after five years. In May of 2023, he restarted dialysis before being selected for pig kidney transplants surgery. Even though the pig kidney transplants didn’t work permanently for Slayman, his involvement in it has opened doors for more study and progress in xenotransplantation.
The medical community are sad about losing Richard Slayman. But his impact as a trailblazer in xenotransplantation will continue. The fact that he agreed to try this new method and his family chose to give his body for more research has had a lasting effect on organ transplantation.
Slayman’s tale touched hearts globally, motivating numerous individuals with his bravery and readiness to push forward in the area of xenotransplantation. His family portrayed him as a good-hearted man having a sharp humor, strongly committed to his loved ones, friends and colleagues. In an expression by the family, they expressed their profound grief at the death of Slayman but found solace in knowing that he had motivated many people and had maintained hope for those patients who were anxiously waiting for transplant.