New Hampshire man receives experimental pig kidney transplant

In the United States, a significant advance in xenotransplantation has been marked by the successful pig kidney transplant of a 54-year-old man named Bill Stewart on June 14, 2025, at Massachusetts General Hospital. This is part of an innovative effort to explore whether organs from genetically altered pigs can serve as viable replacements for human organs. Stewart, who has been an athletic trainer and describes himself as a science enthusiast, decided to undergo this experimental procedure with hopes of contributing to scientific progress, especially given the shortage of human organs available for transplant. The pig kidney transplant represents a breakthrough, as it continues the success story of another patient from New Hampshire, Tim Andrews, who had been off dialysis for over seven months due to a previous pig kidney transplant. The case of Andrews showcased a significant milestone where the longevity of a pig kidney in a human patient had exceeded previous attempts where organs typically failed within a few weeks or months. These procedures are part of an ongoing trial by eGenesis, which aims to provide genetically edited pig organs to at least 30 patients identified to be over fifty years and currently on dialysis. The FDA's recent approval of these trials also highlights the urgency of finding alternative solutions for the more than 100,000 individuals in the U.S. who are on the waiting list for organ transplants, particularly those needing kidneys. While the focus has been on developing pigs genetically modified to create organs more compatible with the human immune system, the journey to perfecting this technology is still in its early stages. Medical professionals acknowledge the challenges posed by organ rejection, but initial successes present a flicker of hope for patients who have waited years for a compatible human organ. Though Stewart and Andrews are making progress, the medical community is cautious about predicting the long-term success of these pig transplants. Both patients are under close observation, and their anti-rejection medications have been adjusted as necessary based on their individual responses to the transplants. The ultimate goal is not only to create alternatives that can function in place of human organs but also to buy patients critical time until a suitable human donor is found. Such innovations in medicine could change the landscape for transplant procedures in the future.