Expert consensus on clinical trials of human xenotransplantation in China

The history of xenotransplantation started in the 19th century. After a few decades of investigation, significant breakthroughs and preclinical milestones have been achieved worldwide. With the recent transplantation of genetically modified porcine kidneys and heart into humans, these ground-breaking achievements have attracted great attention worldwide, in the hope that xenotransplantation might alleviate or even solve the problem of organ shortage. On January 20, 2022, the China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation convened a symposium on "The History, Current Situation and Future of Human Xenotransplantation Clinical Trials," where ways to promote the ethical and sustainable development of xenotransplantation in China were discussed among the participating experts. A formal consensus was reached as the product of the symposium, outlining the expert opinions on scientific, regulatory, and ethical issues of clinical trials of xenotransplantation in China.