Tim Andrews' pig kidney transplant was a bridge to human donor
Tim Andrews lived nine months on a pig kidney before a human donor transplant, a world-first bridge.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Tim Andrews, a man with end-stage kidney disease, received a genetically modified pig kidney in a world-first procedure that kept him off dialysis for nine months. The organ was used as a temporary bridge until a human donor kidney became available earlier this year. This is the first time someone has gone from a pig to a human kidney transplant.
The operation took place in January 2025, using a kidney from a genetically modified Yucatan miniature pig. Andrews had been reliant on dialysis to survive. Speaking before the operation, he described the procedure as hope: "Hope is the biggest thing. You know, the chance to be free from the machine and live your life."
Doctors say the procedure marked the longest dialysis-free survival after a pig kidney transplant into a living human. After nearly nine months, Andrews moved to short-term dialysis and then received a human donor kidney. He continues to do well.
The aim of such xenotransplantation is to address the severe shortage of organs. A doctor involved in the case said: "Unfortunately, we are in a crisis period where there's a huge organ shortage. There's more than 100,000 patients on the waiting list and we only do about 25,000 transplants a year."
Professor Nada Hakim, president-elect of the Transplantation Society, called the development incredible, saying it has moved "from science fiction to clinical applicability." She noted that in the UK alone, over 8,000 patients are waiting for a transplant, and 400 died last year. She also revealed that five patients have now had the same procedure, with kidneys lasting more than eight months.
Hakim said the kidney is a good starting point because dialysis can act as a backup if the pig organ fails. She hopes the technique will eventually be available to everyone, not just those in wealthy countries.
In the UK, there are currently no clinical trials for a similar procedure, although regulators have looked into how they would work.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcasters reported a severe shortage of donor kidneys, with more than 100,000 patients on the waiting list in the US. | · | |
| Five patients have had the same procedure with kidneys functioning for more than eight months. | · | |
| Over 8,000 patients in the UK are waiting for a transplant, and 400 died last year. | · | |
| The procedure is described as a bridge to a human donor. | · | |
| The transplant was the first pig-to-human kidney transplant. | · | |
| Tim Andrews lived without dialysis for nearly nine months after receiving a pig kidney. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel focused on the patient's personal story and the medical milestone, with a strong human interest angle. It included the patient's quote about hope and the doctor's warning about the organ shortage, but did not include expert analysis or broader implications.
- “Oh, because I'm in a room with a bunch of people that are having the same problem, depressed, tired, three-quarters of them are in wheelchairs because they've been so exhausted. I'm like, this is hope. Hope is the biggest thing. You know, the chance to be free from the machine and live your life.”
- “Unfortunately, we are in a crisis period where there's a huge organ shortage. There's more than 100,000 patients on the waiting list and we only do about 25,000 transplants a year.”
This channel added expert perspective from Professor Nada Hakim, focusing on the broader significance, the number of patients waiting, the potential for other organs, and the hope for global access. It also mentioned that five patients have had the procedure, giving a more forward-looking and analytical tone.
- “It is incredible. I have to say we have moved from science fiction to clinical applicability.”
- “So here we have a potential solution to have patients transplanted when they need to be transplanted and not wait for somebody to die.”
- “And as we heard, this is a bridge. Those patients, not only one now, they have five as of yesterday who have had the same procedure with lasting kidneys more than eight months, so which is fantastic.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.