Posted by Al Gordon on May 03, 1998 at 17:05:43:
In Reply to: Re: Proliferation posted by Steve Santen on May 03, 1998 at 14:27:54:
Steve, I think your assessment is accurate. Euglycemia may be restored initially using non-transgenic SPF pig islets (which are NOT expensive to produce). Like any medical technology, it will advance from its initial successes to improved sources of islets, offering greater consistency and lower cost. Just as we did not let diabetics die awaiting synthetic human insulin, there is no reason to wait for the "ultimate" islet before saving lives with porcine islets. If history repeats itself, pig islets may still being going strong in the year 2050.
You said, "this is not a make or break technology for islet encapsulated transplants" and I absolutely agree. As you say, it is one of those parallel paths that will be part of the evolution of islet therapy once it becomes a routine practice.
As for the cost of tracking recipients, this will likely be a transient phenomenon. Assuming islets prove safe, then you can be sure that this requirement will be phased out over time. Do people with AIDS get tracked and monitored to this extent, yet the risks are both known and enormous?
Al