World's first Head Transplant scheduled... thoughts?

[Blue3]

Link

A man with an incurable muscle-wasting disease has been selected to have the world's first head transplant.

Meaning: his head will be cut off of his original body, and transplanted onto a donor's healthy body, to live out the rest of his life.

Thoughts?

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[TNF]

Freedom operation, assuming that it works.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Freedom operation, assuming that it works.

And even if it doesn't, it could still advance our understanding and allow scientists to eventually develop a more successful operation.

[Blue3]

A counter-argument:

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http://www.sciencealert.com/world-s-first-head-transplant-volunteer-could-experience-something-worse-than-death

[Antonio the Sixth]

I assume the guy was duly informed of the risk when he chose to have this operation performed on him. And if he ends up in horrible pain, he should obviously be granted assisted suicide.

[Bigby]

Freedom Operation. My only question is what about the muscles in his head, though?

[Higgs]

I am really curious how this goes. Should be called body transplant though.

[DavidB.]

How is this not a Freedom Operation, exactly? Why is this even a question?

[Sasquatch]

[Simfan34]

What I want to know is where the donor body is going to come from.

Also they've tried this with monkeys and mice and they've only lived for a few days, and even then they were completely paralysed. What makes the doctors think it's now a good idea to try this on a human?

[angus]

What I want to know is where the donor body is going to come from.

The cemetery behind Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.

[sparkey]

When I grow old and wealthy, I'm going to demand this operation using the most fit and healthy body that can be found on the black market (normal).

[Green Line]

Disturbing.

[sparkey]

No, that isn't at all normal.

On the second thought, you may be right, and it might be hard to escape suspicion when my withered 110-year-old body suddenly becomes a youthful and vigorous 25.

On a, um, completely unrelated note, has anyone heard of any further breakthroughs on the studies that showed that taking blood from younger mice rejuvenated older ones?: http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/05/young-blood-renews-old-mice

[°Leprechaun]

I doubt that this could work, but I guess stranger things have happened, (perhaps).

[Gunnar Larsson]

How is this not a Freedom Operation, exactly? Why is this even a question?

The likelihood of it actually working is very very slim and dead people are not very free.

It not working will probably feed a "scientists are crazy"-narrative. Were it actually to work it would be another thing, but I will have very serious doubts until scientists can at least reverse (complete) paralysis.

[Antonio the Sixth]

It not working will probably feed a "scientists are crazy"-narrative.

That IS science. You try something, and see how it goes. If it works, great. If it doesn't, we might learn something as to why it didn't work, and how to make it work next time (or on the hundredth time).

As long as all parties have given their full and duly informed consent, and that the research's outcome don't present a danger for society, I don't see where the problem is.

[DavidB.]

That IS science. You try something, and see how it goes. If it works, great. If it doesn't, we might learn something as to why it didn't work, and how to make it work next time (or on the hundredth time).

As long as all parties have given their full and duly informed consent, and that the research's outcome don't present a danger for society, I don't see where the problem is.

Exactly.

Disturbing.

Why? Isn't this absolutely great and inspiring?

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

In the best case scenario, this operation revolutionizes medical science forever and this man gets a new life. In the worst case scenario, a very sick man dies after willingly consenting to an operation for a chance at a better life. Freedom operation.

[Gunnar Larsson]

It not working will probably feed a "scientists are crazy"-narrative.

That IS science. You try something, and see how it goes. If it works, great. If it doesn't, we might learn something as to why it didn't work, and how to make it work next time (or on the hundredth time).

As long as all parties have given their full and duly informed consent, and that the research's outcome don't present a danger for society, I don't see where the problem is.

I am not saying that it is isn't science, but not all scientific experiments are good (in particular in the medical field). Considering our current understanding in the area it is very unlikely that it will work. When we have been more successful in the fields required for a full body transplant I certainly would not mind. As it is now I think it would be something of an equivalent to the Jesse Gelsinger case.