THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060004
SECTION: FINAL PAGE: A26 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 26 lines
In response to Susan Paris' ``Xenotransplants need consideration'' (Another View, Oct. 12): While I agree that this country faces a dire organ-donor shortage, several factors are being overlooked in this debate.
Ms. Paris mentions ``years'' of public-service campaigns meant to elicit more organ donors. The Department of Motor Vehicles has the only public-service campaign that I am aware of, and it is weak at best. Education is something that our country has always had a hard time spending money on. We would rather throw money at animal experimentation and anti-rejection technology that may or may not produce long-term results.
Disease prevention is another area often overlooked. The reality is that Americans are obsessed with meat and animal products that have been proved to cause heart disease and many forms of cancers.
Let's not base our hopes at extending our lives on animals living as part of some organ factory. Just look at your pet and you will know that animals share the same emotions as humans.
SUZANNE FARMER
Virginia Beach, Oct. 24, 1996 by CNB