to think this is really creepy and that maybe science has gone too far

[pineappleshortbread]

news.sky.com/story/1434435/surgeon-plans-first-human-head-transplant

Just read a story about scientists thinking they will be able to do a human head transplant soon. I find this very disturbing as surely the person would have two sets of dna and surely if they had any children they would biologically be the donar bodies kids.

This is all a bit odd and has so many ethical issues what do you think?

yep I agree! lots of issues....the monkey rejected the head and died,no coming back from that is there!

Imagine the families what would they have to bury? And aswell there is the organ memory phenomena which they can't explain

I had just read that report before I saw your post, and I did feel a bit... eww about it.

To be honest, I imagine that the person involved is not likely to live too long afterwards, and we are decades away from such a procedure being commonplace or successful. But transplants already do take place, so I don't see why not if that's what the individual patient wants.

However, I think this is perhaps more about pushing the boundaries of medicine and science, finding out what we are capable of than establishing a long term, or commonplace procedure for very ill patients. The time, cost and expertise involved must be astronomical.

True and I think the guidelines and consent would be have to be extensive. I personally would never volunteer my body for that or allow my head to be moved.

From the article: ''The recipient's head and the donor body ...''

Less confusing to call it a body transplant really.

or maybe it was just me that was slightly confused

Epona You're right, that's exactly what it is; the head part is the patient.

I guess 'head transplant' just sounds like a more juicy headline, along with the use of the word "Frankenstein" which was in the report I read!

A body transplant is definitely less weird. What about the spinal cord tho? Does that go with the head? My medical knowledge

Is limited but I gather you're not supposed to cut it in half.

You can internally decapitate yourself and survive

How can they do this when they are not usually able to help people with spinal cord damage to walk again? (Like Christopher Reeve) I think they are getting ahead of themselves. (Pun unintentional!)

they explained the spinal cord bit in the report I read.....theres a special substance they use

its too much for me to take in! would it be the case of a 60 year olds head being transplanted onto some poor unfortunate 20 year olds body?

I have heard that there are people who have had their heads cryogenically preserved in the hope that this procedure would become possible.
They preserve the head only as it's cheaper than freezing & storing a whole body.

Ewww! I once saw a film were they put a man's head on a pigs body. It was horrible!

Sorry I don't have anything to add.