Xenotransplantation: For and Against: By Ololade Olakanmi and Laura Purdy. Intro: >>Organ transplantation saves thousands of lives every year, and is arguably one of the most significant medical innovations of the past century. At present however, the worldwide demand for organs far outstrips supply. For instance, in 2004, the United Network for Organ Sharing (United States) found that over 100,000 patients could have benefited from an organ transplant, whereas only 29,000 were available. In the US, 17 patients die each day while on the organ donor waiting list – a dismal statistic which, unfortunately reflects a global trend. In an effort to satisfy the growing demand for organs, the scientific community is once again turning to xenotransplantation, a cutting-edge medical technique that involves the transplantation of biological material from nonhuman animals (primarily pigs) to humans. If properly developed, xenotransplantation has the potential to one day not only ameliorate the present organ donor shortage, but also to help address the ravages of Parkinson’s disease, childhood-onset diabetes, Huntington’s disease, and a number of other conditions.<< Link
monochrom is an art-technology-philosophy group having its seat in Vienna and Zeta Draconis. monochrom is an unpeculiar mixture of proto-aesthetic fringe work, pop attitude, subcultural science, context hacking and political activism. Our mission is conducted everywhere, but first and foremost in culture-archeological digs into the seats (and pockets) of ideology and entertainment. monochrom has existed in this (and almost every other) form since 1993. [more]
