Ethical six principles for the welfare assurance of genetically modified pigs in xenotransplantation
10.12464/j.issn.1674-7445.2025299
- VernacularTitle:异种移植基因修饰猪福利保障伦理六原则
- Author:
Jing MA
1
;
Lu LIU
2
;
Yuying BAO
1
Author Information
1. Department of Medical Humanities, Medical Humanities College, College of Marxism, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
2. .
- Publication Type:TransplantationEthics
- Keywords:
Xenotransplantation;
Genetically modified pig;
Welfare of experimental animal;
"3R" principle;
"5F" principle;
Principle of balance of interest;
Ethical six principles;
Moral status;
Ethical review
- From:
Organ Transplantation
2026;17(3):486-494
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Genetically modified pigs for welfare assurance is crucial for conducting xenotransplantation. However, traditional experimental animal ethics principles cannot address the social benefits issues brought about by xenotransplantation, and there is a lack of ethical justification for the assurance of experimental animal welfare. Degrazia and Bechtel proposed six principles for the welfare of experimental animals: the principle of no alternative methods, the principle of expected net benefits, the principle of adequate defense of harm, the principle of no harm without necessity, the principle of basic needs and the principle of harm limit. This paper conducts an ethical-level argumentation on the six principles for the welfare of genetically modified pigs in xenotransplantation, and points out that these six principles are of great significance in closely integrating the social benefits of xenotransplantation with the welfare of genetically modified pigs, emphasizing the moral status of genetically modified pigs, and providing standards for the ethical review of the welfare of genetically modified pigs.
