%0 Journal Article
%T In the Shadow of Doctor Moreau: A Contextual Reading of the Proposed Canadian Standard for Xenotransplantation
%A Melanie J. Mortensen
%J University of Ottawa Law and Technology Journal
%D 2005
%I 
%X [Abstract] Prescient selections from the century-old H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau provide rhetorical echoes for this critique of the Proposed Canadian Standard for Xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation, which is animal-to-human cell, tissue, or organ transplantation, represents one facet of the new areas of development that fall under the general rubric of biotechnology. This developing area has been slowed by the risk posed by infections that may emerge and threaten public health if clinical trials of xenotransplantation proceed. Xenotransplantation also has the potential of great profitability for the biotechnology companies that offer the source animals, particularly if the science should prove successful. This paper first introduces the scientific elements of xenotransplantation. Then, it surveys policy developments in Canada with respect to xenotransplantation. Finally, it turns to the ethical dimension of xenotransplantation, concluding that the nature of the risks and the precautionary principle should necessitate that Canada call for a moratorium on xenotransplantation. ***** [R¨¦sum¨¦] Des extraits prescients du roman du si¨¨cle dernier de H.G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau, servent de fondement rh¨¦torique ¨¤ la critique de la Proposition d¡¯une Norme canadienne pour la x¨¦notransplantation. La x¨¦notransplantation, qui est la transplantation de cellules, de tissus et d¡¯organes d¡¯animaux chez des personnes, repr¨¦sente une des facettes de cette nouvelle science que l¡¯on appelle g¨¦n¨¦ralement la biotechnologie. Le d¨¦veloppement de cette science est ralenti par les risques d¡¯infection qui peuvent survenir et menacer la sant¨¦ publique si les essais cliniques de x¨¦notransplantation se poursuivent. La x¨¦notransplantation, par ailleurs, repr¨¦sente une avenue prometteuse de profits tr¨¨s all¨¦chants pour les entreprises sp¨¦cialis¨¦es en biotechnologie qui offrent les sources animales, en particulier si la science s¡¯av¨¨re fructueuse. Cet article fait d¡¯abord un survol des ¨¦l¨¦ments scientifiques de la x¨¦notransplantation, puis passe en revue les politiques canadiennes ¨¦labor¨¦es en mati¨¨re de la x¨¦notransplantation. Enfin, l¡¯article analyse les ¨¦l¨¦ments ¨¦thiques de la x¨¦notransplantation, puis, ¨¦tant donn¨¦ la nature des risques, conclut en appliquant le principe de pr¨¦caution que le Canada devrait r¨¦clamer un moratoire sur la x¨¦notransplantation.
%U http://www.uoltj.ca/articles/vol2.1/2005.2.1.uoltj.Mortensen.37-74.pdf