Kidney Xenotransplantation FAQ: Patient Communication Tool

Last updated: June 09, 2026

Medically reviewed by: NKF Education Team

This patient-facing FAQ helps healthcare professionals explain kidney xenotransplantation in clear, plain language. It can support conversations with patients, families, and care partners who are asking about pig kidney research, clinical trials, possible risks and benefits, and what questions to bring to the transplant team.

Kidney xenotransplantation is still experimental and is not a standard treatment option. This resource is intended to help patients understand what is known, what is still being studied, and how to make informed decisions if they are considering a clinical trial.

Use this FAQ as a patient communication resource before or during transplant discussions. The FAQ includes plain-language definitions, a basic overview of kidney xenotransplantation, considerations for clinical trials, known and unknown risks, potential benefits, and questions patients may want to ask their transplant team.

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Information contained in this NKF educational resource is based on data available at the time of publication. It is intended to help clinicians stay informed about new scientific findings and developments. This resource is not intended to establish a preferred standard of care and should not be interpreted as prescribing an exclusive course of management.
© 2026 National Kidney Foundation, Inc.