In early January, 57-year-old David Bennett was the first person in history to have a genetically modified heart transplanted from a pig. He died on Tuesday March 8.
“He proved to be a brave and noble patient, who fought until the end.”
When announcing the death of David Bennett, the surgeon Bartley Griffith, whose words are relayed by The New York Times, wanted to pay tribute to the patient he had operated on in early January 2022. An unprecedented operation that had been relayed by the press around the world.
Indeed, not being able to benefit from a “normal” heart transplant, because of the long waiting lists, David Bennett was seen offering the heart of an animal instead. That of a genetically modified pig, according to the details provided by the American daily:
The heart donated to Mr. Bennett came from a pig with 10 genetic changes. Four genes had been inactivated, including one that causes a rejection response in humans. Another gene was also inactivated to prevent the pig’s heart from continuing to grow after implantation. In addition, six human genes have been inserted into the genome
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With 1,700 journalists, around 30 offices abroad, more than 130 Pulitzer Prize winners and more than 8 million subscribers in total, The New York Times is the reference daily of the United States, the one in which one can read “all the
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