JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Xenotransplantation

Includes

Xenografts
Heterografts
Non-Human Organ Perfusion

Recipient
Definition

Any procedure that involves the transplantation, implantation, or infusion into a human recipient of either (a) live cells, tissues, or organs from a non-human animal source, or (b) human body fluids, cells, tissues, or organs that have had ex vivo contact with live, non-human animal cells, tissues, or organs. Xenotransplantation products include live cells, tissues and organs.

Biological products, drugs, or medical devices sourced from nonliving cells, tissues or organs from non-human animals, including but not limited to porcine insulin, porcine heart valves, and collagen matrices derived from acellular porcine, bovine or any other xenogeneic source (e.g. PelviSoft®, Bio-Oss®, Bio-Gide® and Surgibone®) are not considered xenotransplantation products.

Obligatory

Must not donate if:
Material from a living non-human animal source has been directly or indirectly in contact with the mother's blood supply. This does not include animal bites.

Sexual Partners of Xenotransplant Recipients, Current and Former
ObligatoryMust not donate.
Additional InformationExposure to non-human animal material, particularly when the person exposed is immunosuppressed, may result in infections that would not normally affect humans being passed on.
Reason for Change

Further guidance re Recipient definition

Update Information

This advice is a requirement of the EU Tissue & Cells Directive.

This entry was last updated in
TDSG-CB Edition 203, Release 23