A controversial new frontier in biotechnology is stirring ethical debates worldwide: the concept of “bodyoids” — living, non-conscious human-like structures that could provide spare organs for transplantation. Originally reported by MIT Technology Review, this cutting-edge scientific development has sparked both excitement and deep concern within the medical and bioethics communities.
With more than 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting for an organ transplant—and 17 people dying daily due to the shortage—scientists are racing to find alternatives. Among the promising solutions are gene-edited animal organs, which have already been transplanted into a handful of human recipients. The first person to receive a gene-edited pig heart in 2022, David Bennett Sr., survived for only two months after the surgery. Similarly, Richard Slayman, who received a pig kidney in early 2024, also passed away within weeks. However, Towana Looney, the third living person to receive a gene-edited pig kidney, has shown remarkable progress. “I am full of energy. I got an appetite I’ve never had in eight years,” she said after her surgery, marking a hopeful step forward in xenotransplantation.
But some researchers are looking beyond animals. Israeli biotech company Renewal Bio is taking a different approach—developing “embryo-stage versions of people” to generate replacement organs. This approach relies on advances in synthetic embryo technology, which creates embryo-like structures using stem cells instead of sperm and eggs. While these structures resemble early-stage embryos, scientists remain uncertain about how far they can develop and whether they should be subject to the same ethical regulations as natural human embryos.
The MIT Technology Review report highlights that bodyoids could also accelerate scientific and medical research. Currently, most drug testing relies on animal models before moving to human trials. However, since animal biology differs from human physiology, many promising treatments fail when tested in people. Bodyoids, which would more closely resemble human tissue, could provide a more accurate testing platform, potentially reducing reliance on animal testing and expediting drug development.
Despite these potential benefits, ethical concerns loom large. The very existence of bodyoids forces society to reconsider what defines a human being. Would a human-like entity, lacking consciousness and the ability to feel pain, be ethically acceptable as a source of spare organs? Historical shifts in public perception—such as the initial backlash against in vitro fertilization (IVF) when it was first developed—suggest that attitudes toward bodyoids could evolve over time. However, for now, the debate remains heated, with many experts questioning whether science fiction is becoming an unsettling reality.
