Exploring Xenotransplantation Rules in Europe

Europe is home to two major organizations that work together but have different roles: the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU). Both value human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The CoE brings countries together to agree on basic legal standards in many areas. It also checks if countries follow these standards and offers help. The EU uses these standards to create laws and agreements for its member countries. It also works with nearby countries, many of which are part of the CoE.

For organ transplants, the CoE has a special group called the European Committee on Organ Transplantation (CD-P-TO). In the EU, there's a rule about "Substances of Human Origin" (SoHO) that was agreed on in 2024. The CoE and EU have a deal to work together more on SoHO. However, xenotransplantation, which is transplanting organs from animals to humans, isn't covered in the BTC regulation.

Actions