A "cautious optimism" toward renal transplantation was expressed by Joseph E. Murray, MD, of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston at the 49th Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in San Francisco, Oct 28 to Nov 1.
"Transplants are not the final answer; they are still in a highly experimental—not therapeutic—state. Success will depend on strong support from many quarters," he said.
Late in September a conference was held in Washington, DC, and attended by all those in the world who were known to have performed kidney transplants. Surgeons from three countries compared notes and experiences. Murray was chairman of a committee which just completed a case-by-case study of statistics submitted by these men.
"The biggest problem for investigators has been to repeat their results. Using the same protocol, under the same conditions—in the same laboratory or operating theater—they find it nearly impossible to regularly repeat good