26th October is marked as one of the most remarkable day in medical history. Exactly 25 years ago on this same day, Baby Fae got a heart transplant from a Baboon which was a much controversial topic. An American baby “Stephanie Fae Traphagan” is the real name of the Baby Fae who received a heart transplant from a Baboon sacrificed just to extract the heart!
At Loma Linda University Medical Center in California, led by Surgeon Leonard Bailey transplanted Baboon Goober’s heart to Baby Fae on 26th October 1984, but both died 21 days later. Though, the controversy still lives.
An American baby Stephanie Fae Traphagan was born with hypoplastic left-heart syndrome and was a 3 weeks premature child when brought to hospital. A unique decision was made despite of the baby that it would not survive in this condition of heart. It would make history if the baby’s heart would be tried to be replaced through the first ever animal to human heart transplant, suggested by surgeon Leonard L. Bailey.
A Baboon was sacrificed on that day just to use its heart and this ultimately leads to a whole controversy. The surgery seemed successful, but Fae died on November 15, 1984, 21 days later of a kidney infection. It made many people angry concerning the ineffective effort and killing of a poor Baboon.
And now, again on this 26th October after 25 years, that event and the debate and controversy are being made alive again about the use of animals and injustice just to save human lives. What is your opinion, it is legit and ethical or not?
For such a waste of at least one life for sure, this day will be long remembered in the history.
Source: encyclopedia.com
