FEAM has launched a new Working Group on xenotransplantation, as part of its ongoing efforts to address emerging scientific and policy challenges in healthcare. This initiative brings together experts from across the network to assess the potential of xenotransplantation and its implications for European health systems.

Scope

The Working Group will examine the current state of xenotransplantation, including recent scientific and technological advances such as gene editing, immunological compatibility, and early clinical applications. It will also assess key challenges associated with this field, including safety, long-term outcomes, risk of zoonotic infections, and ethical considerations.

The group will also explore the regulatory landscape at European and international level, as well as issues related to public perception, acceptability, and governance. Particular attention will be given to how xenotransplantation could be integrated into existing transplantation systems and what conditions would be required to ensure safe and equitable access.

Objectives

The objective of the Working Group is to provide an independent, science-based assessment of xenotransplantation, with a view to informing policy discussions at European level. The group will identify key evidence gaps, highlight research priorities, and develop recommendations to support decision-making by policymakers, regulators, and healthcare stakeholders.

It will also contribute to reflections on how innovation in transplantation can address the persistent shortage of donor organs, while ensuring high standards of safety, ethics, and public trust.

Chairs

The Working Group is co-chaired by:
• Bernard Charpentier, France
• Sophie Brouard, France

Members of the Working Group

The Working Group brings together a multidisciplinary group of experts from across the FEAM network, ensuring a broad range of scientific expertise and geographical representation:

• Ian Alwayn, Netherlands
• Christine Mummery, Netherlands
• Maroeska Rovers, Netherlands
• Abed Halaila, Israel
• Marc Dhenain, France
• Andreas Radbruch, Germany
• Eckhard Wolf, Germany
• Yevhen Holyuk, Ukraine
• Javier Burgos Revilla, Spain

Through this initiative, FEAM aims to support a structured and evidence-based discussion on xenotransplantation and its future role within European healthcare systems.