First-Ever Human Recipient of Pig Kidney Dies Weeks After Transplant

The man's death was allegedly not related to the modified pig kidney he received about two months before his demise.

Rick Slayman, a 62-year-old man from Massachusetts, passed away not long after becoming the first person in the world to receive a pig kidney transplant.

The transplant in question was no ordinary pig kidney but rather a genetically modified organ that had several pig genes removed and several human genes introduced to ensure compatibility with the host’s immune system.

Massachusetts General Hospital, where the procedure took place in March, said that there is no indication that Slayman’s death was caused by the transplant, CBS News has noted. No further indication of the cause of death was released.

“Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” the hospital said in a statement, offering condolences to Slayman’s family and loved ones.

Prior to his demise, Slayman suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

In 2018 he received a human kidney transplant, which unfortunately started exhibiting signs of failure in 2023, thus necessitating another transplantation.