Baby Fae was not the first to receive a baboon heart nor is her case the last we will see of Xenotransplantation. This is from agbiotech.net.
"Xenotransplantation refers to the use of animal organs for human organ transplantation. This procedure is being investigated by scientists due to the world-wide shortages of donated human organs for transplant.
The first attempts to use animal organs for human transplant took place in the 1960s when chimpanzee hearts and livers were used. The patients did not survive for very long due to problems of immune rejection.
The advent of ciclosporin, an immunosuppressant drug, led to renewed hopes for xenotransplantation. In 1977, a woman received a baboon heart transplant in South Africa. Circulation was established but acute rejection began after only six hours. The same group later used a chimpanzee heart to assist the heart of a 60-year-old man. Despite the use of high doses of immunosuppressant drugs, the patient died after four days. In 1984, a newborn baby, Fae, received a baboon heart in California, USA. She survived for 20 days.
More recent research into xenotransplantation has concentrated on the use of pigs rather than primates as a source of organs. Pigs are cheap, plentiful, easy to breed and have similar sized organs to man. Apart from the many ethical considerations, the possibility of introducing pig viruses into the human population via organ recipients has been suggested as a reason not to perform such transplants.
Recent developments in pig cloning and gene targeting may enable the production of genetically altered pigs that do not cause the same problems of immune rejection. The breeding or engineering of disease-free pigs could also offer a possible solution to the risk of endogenous pig viruses.
Several biotechnology companies are now involved in xenotransplantation research."
The thing about xenotransplantation in terms of whole organs is that it has never worked from any species to another, yet they keep trying. There are other cases of baboon to human xenotransplantation that took place at Univ. of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh surgeon Thomas Starzl has twice attempted to transplant baboon livers into human patients with collapsing liver function. Both of those patients died as well.
The point is Dr. Bailey did not come up with the concept and other than his being a Seventh Day Adventist I don't know of any quotes implying that it was because of his creationist beliefs that he attempted the transplant. Unless you have a reference and a quote from him it is probably an urban legend.
Personally from a biblical standpoint xenotransplantation would be out of line as genesis point out that the all the creatures were created after there own kind. Because of that I always thought Dr. Bailey was an evolutionist.
Xenotransplantation is being touted as the wave of the future by its promoters. I am curious as to what you think of it. So far it has limited success, but it seems as though transgenetics is going to be a hugely researched field in the future. If for no other reason the financial rewards in the medical field would be enormous. Who knows in 20 years Dr. Bailey may be hailed as pioneer, instead of a goat.
Regards,
Boiler Plate