Is xenotransplantation needed?
• In 1999, there were 3,544 people on waiting lists for organs in Canada but only 1,667 received one (including 378 kidneys donated by living people). More than 3 out of 4 people on the waiting list needed a kidney. The rest were waiting for livers, hearts, lungs or pancreases. • About 3 out of 10 of these people die before an organ becomes available. It appears that the number of people waiting for organs will continue to grow as the number of people over the age of 60 grows. • Compared to some other countries, very few organs are donated for transplants in Canada. This is partly because fewer people die from car crashes and gunshots than in other countries.
