The Big Chill: Opportunities for, and Challenges to, Advanced Biopreservation of Organs for Transplantation

• Published in: The Journal of law, medicine & ethics Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 595 - 610
• Main Authors: Capron, Alexander M., Pruett, Timothy L., Childress, James F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Cambridge University Press 2024
• Subjects: Blood & organ donations; Cryopreservation; Humans; Informed consent; Injuries; Ischemia; Kidneys; Metabolism; Metabolites; Organ donation; Organ Preservation - methods; Organ Transplantation - ethics; Organ Transplantation - legislation & jurisprudence; Statutes; Storage; Tissue and Organ Procurement - ethics; Tissue and Organ Procurement - legislation & jurisprudence; United States; United States; Equity; Fair Organ Allocation; Human Subjects Research; Informed Consent; Organ Transplantation Efficiency; Advanced Organ Biopreservation
• ISSN: 1073-1105; 1748-720X; 1748-720X
• DOI: 10.1017/jme.2024.137

The application of advanced biopreservation to organs donated for transplantation may make possible their indefinite storage and thereby improve the utility and equity they provide to patients. The technology is still at a preclinical stage, with many difficult, scientific issues that remain to be answered. At the moment, however, the actual capabilities of the technology are too indefinite to begin formulating the statutes, regulations, and ethical guidance that will be needed to obtain the benefits expected from its use.