The hospital has discharged the first patient who received a kidney transplant from a pig while still alive.

On Wednesday, two weeks after his operation, Rick Slayman, who is the world’s first living recipient of a genetically altered pig kidney transplant, was released from the hospital, according to a statement released by Massachusetts General Hospital. According to a statement made by the hospital on X, which was then known as Twitter, “He is recovering well and will continue to recuperate at home with his family.” Slayman said the following in a statement that was released by the hospital: “This moment – leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time – is one that I wished would come for many years.” Currently, it is a fact, and it is without a doubt one of the most joyful times in my life.

Slayman, a manager with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation who is 62 years old, had previously stated that his doctors had proposed that he try a pig kidney when he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease the previous year.

It was just a month ago when his medical professionals expressed their belief that Slayman’s new kidney could last for years, but they also noted that there are a lot of unknowns associated with animal-to-human transplants. The xenotransplantation of a pig organ into a living human being is the third such procedure that he has undergone. Both of the initial two transplants consisted of the transplantation of hearts into living patients who had exhausted all other possibility for transplantation. The organs were transplanted in accordance with a set of specialized regulations that allow for the compassionate utilization of experimental therapies for patients who are in particularly critical circumstances. After receiving their organs, both patients passed away many weeks later.

Slayman expressed his appreciation for the positive response to his procedure, particularly from other patients who are now awaiting a kidney transplant or transplant operation. Organs are in high demand, yet there are not enough of them available to meet the need. In the United States, 17 people pass away every single day while they are waiting for an organ. The kidneys are the organ that is less readily available. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, approximately 27,000 kidneys were transplanted in the year 2023; however, there were approximately 89,000 people on the waiting list for those organs.

In the statement, Slayman remarked, “Today marks a new beginning not just for me, but for them as well.” These words were included in the statement.