Genetic Disenhancement and Xenotransplantation: Diminishing Pigs’ Capacity to Experience Suffering through Genetic Engineering

One objection to xenotransplantation is that it will
require the large-scale breeding, raising and killing
of genetically modified pigs. The pigs will need to
be raised in designated pathogen-free facilities and
undergo a range of medical tests before having their
organs removed and being euthanised. As a result,
they will have significantly shortened life expectancies,
will experience pain and suffering and be subject to
a degree of social and environmental deprivation. To
minimise the impact of these factors, we propose the
following option for consideration—ethically defensible
xenotransplantation should entail the use of genetic
disenhancement if it becomes possible to do so and if
that pain and suffering cannot be eliminated by other
means. Despite not being a morally ideal 'solution’, it is
morally better to prevent unavoidable pain until a viable
non-animal alternative becomes available.