Richard “Rick” Slayman, a 62-year-old man who made history as the first person to receive a genetically edited pig kidney transplant, has died two months after the groundbreaking surgery, according to his family and a statement from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where he had the transplant.
According to the Washington Post on Sunday, the Boston hospital in a statement issued late Saturday said, “Mass General is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We do not indicate that it was the result of his recent transplant.
“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.”
