New Cost-Benefit Analysis Shows Animal-to-Human Transplants Likely to Skyrocket the Number of Uninsured

Animal Protection Institute
Friday, 15 October 1999

VALENCIA, SPAIN - A cost/benefit analysis of projected animal-to-human transplants conducted by the Animal Protection Institute (API) reveals the costs for this controversial experimental procedure would place overwhelming pressures on private and federally funded health insurance programs in the United States.

API's analysis shows that:

- By 2010, the costs of animal-to-human transplants could exceed governmental figures estimated by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) a whopping 71% -- or $14.5 billion annually -- and prove to be catastrophic for health care in the United States.

- The $4 billion projected to be spent on human organ transplants in 2000 could rise to a staggering $34.8 billion by 2010 if all the patients in need of transplants -- an estimated 192,021 people per year -- receive animal organs. NOTE: These figures do not include expensive follow-up care for the thousands who have already received transplants.

- By 2010, over 5% of annual medial expenditures will be for transplantation and follow-up care. This will result in dramatically higher insurance premiums, more limited coverage, increased numbers of uninsured and more people denied access to adequate medical care.

"The high cost of xenotransplants clearly outweigh the benefits, even if we assume that animal-to-human transplants will somehow succeed, " says Alan Berger, MBA/CPA, Executive Director of the Animal Protection Institute, who will present the findings at the Sixth Annual Meeting on the Human Genome in Valencia, Spain on October 18. "Attempting to save a few patients through expensive and dangerous experimental procedures while losing even more by denying them access to proper health care is irresponsible and unacceptable."

Berger was the only individual representing an animal advocacy organization invited to present at the conference.

For more information, or to contact Animal Protection Institute, see their website at: www.api4animals.org