Rob Stein
Appearances
NPR News Now
NPR News: 10-27-2024 5PM EDT
The CDC is endorsing recommendations from independent advisors that anyone aged 50 and older get a shot that can protect them against bacteria that can cause pneumonia and other potentially serious complications. Previously, the CDC only recommended the so-called pneumococcal vaccine for those aged 65 and older.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 10-27-2024 5PM EDT
The CDC is also recommending people ages 65 and older and younger people with moderate or severe immune system problems get at least two doses of one of the new COVID vaccines instead of just one. Rob Stein, NPR News.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
You know, it was quite dramatic. I met the patient at NYU Langone Health in New York City just minutes before she was wheeled to the OR. Her name is Tawana Looney. She's 53 from Gadsden, Alabama. How are you feeling this morning?
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
Why are you excited?
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
Looney's immune system would reject a human kidney, so the FDA let her get a pig kidney that's been genetically engineered so her body could accept it, even though this is all very experimental.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
As one team of surgeons started preparing Looney for the kidney, another team flew to rural Virginia to retrieve two kidneys from a modified pig cloned at a biotech company's research farm. After the chopper returned with the kidneys, the surgeon stitched one of them to Looney's blood supply, then started blood flowing from Looney's body into the pig kidney for the first time.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
Let's give a listen.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
Then, Steve, the next test came. That's when surgeons made sure the kidney was doing its job, which is making urine. Wow, beautiful, gorgeous. It's just pouring out. And here's what Dr. Robert Montgomery, the lead surgeon, said right after the seven-hour operation.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
So far, the pig kidney seems to be working great. In fact, Looney was discharged earlier than expected to an apartment near the hospital where doctors are keeping a close eye on her. I visited her there two weeks after the surgery. So how are you doing? I am doing wonderful.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
Now, Steve, it's important to point out that two other patients who got pig kidneys with different modifications died within weeks of their operations. So did two men who got genetically modified pig hearts. But the pig organs seemed to work well in those cases, and they were much sicker than Looney. So doctors are hopeful this time.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
And the hope is that someday genetically modified pigs could provide an unlimited supply of kidneys, livers, hearts, and other organs to help solve the organ shortage.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
But, you know, it's important to point out that there are worries about all this, about pig organs spreading dangerous viruses to people, about breeding and slaughtering thousands of pigs just for their organs, and about experimenting on desperately ill patients like this. So there's still a lot to be worked out.
Up First from NPR
Trump Meets CEOs At Mar-A-Lago, School Shooting In Wisconsin, Pig Kidney Transplant
You bet, Steve.