Organ Xenotransplantation Acceptance Study in Austrian Medical Students

The persistent organ shortage crisis results in thousands of deaths each year due to the lack of available organs for transplantation. Xenotransplantation, which involves the use of organs from gene-modified pigs, presents a potential solution to this crisis. Despite facing significant immunological challenges and procedural differences compared to human organ transplantation, several clinical trials have shown promising results. However, further research is essential to ensure that xenotransplantation can achieve outcomes comparable to human-to-human transplants. Historical advancements in transplantation medicine demonstrate that overcoming initial difficulties through persistence and teamwork can lead to significant medical breakthroughs. Before xenotransplantation becomes a widespread clinical reality, it is crucial to understand public attitudes towards this practice. This study aims to analyze the attitudes of medical students at Johannes Kepler University Linz towards xenotransplantation. Given their future roles as medical practitioners, their perspectives are vital for the promotion of new treatments, including xenotransplantation. A total of 86 valid questionnaires (PCID – XenoTx Ríos V.2023) were collected to evaluate these attitudes. Results indicate a highly favourable attitude, with 90.7% of medical students in Linz supporting xenotransplantation.