Richard Slayman, the 62-year-old man who achieved a historic milestone by undergoing the world’s inaugural genetically modified pig kidney transplant in March, has unfortunately passed away, as announced by his family on Saturday.
Mr. Slayman underwent a successful four-hour surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and was discharged a mere two weeks later in April. Although the exact cause of his unexpected demise remains undisclosed, ABC News has reported that the hospital has confirmed it was unrelated to the transplant.
“The Mass General transplant team is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant,” Massachusetts General Hospital said in a statement.
Richard Slayman, a Weymouth, Massachusetts resident, had been dealing with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension for an extended period. He underwent a pig kidney transplant after managing his conditions for years.
Before this groundbreaking procedure, Mr. Slayman had a history of managing his health issues and had previously received a human kidney transplant in December 2018 from the same team at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Unfortunately, the human kidney transplant lasted only five years before signs of rejection appeared. In May 2023, Mr. Slayman had to resume dialysis treatment, significantly impacting his quality of life, as reported by the hospital.
“Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr Slayman’s family and loved ones as they remember an extraordinary person whose generosity and kindness touched all who knew him,” the hospital’s statement read.
The transplant kidney was sourced from eGenesis, a pharmaceutical company located in Cambridge. This innovative organ was obtained from a pig that underwent genetic modification through CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
Massachusetts General Hospital reported that the genetic editing process included the elimination of pig genes that were incompatible and the insertion of human genes to improve compatibility with the recipient’s body.
The family of Mr. Slayman conveyed their sincere gratitude to the medical professionals and the entire healthcare team at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“Our family is deeply saddened about the sudden passing of our beloved Rick but take great comfort knowing he inspired so many. Millions of people worldwide have come to know Rick’s story. We felt – and still feel – comforted by the optimism he provided patients desperately waiting for a transplant.”
“We are extremely grateful to his care team across Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General Brigham, especially Dr Williams, Dr Kawai, and Dr Riella, who truly did everything they could to help give Rick a second chance.
Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick, and our memories made during that time will remain in our minds and hearts.”
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