The Secretary of Health and Human Services chartered the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Xenotransplantation (SACX) in July 1999.  The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has a vital role in safeguarding public health while fostering the development of promising strategies to treat tissue destruction, organ failure and other public health needs.  The SACX will consider the full range of complex scientific, medical, social, and ethical issues and the public health concerns raised by xenotransplantation, including ongoing and proposed protocols, and makes recommendations to the Secretary on policy and procedures.  The recommendations of the Committee will facilitate DHHS efforts to develop an integrated approach to addressing emerging public health issues in xenotransplantation. 

Procedurally, recommendations made by the Committee will be submitted to the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Health.  The SACX will advise the government on all aspects of the scientific development and clinical application of xenotransplantation. 

The Committee shall consist of 18 voting members, including the Chair, appointed by the Secretary or designee.  Members shall be selected by the Secretary, or designee, from authorities knowledgeable in such fields as xenotransplantation, epidemiology, virology, microbiology, infectious diseases, molecular biology, veterinary medicine, immunology, transplantation surgery, public health, applicable law, bioethics, social sciences, psychology, patient advocacy, and animal welfare.  Of the appointed members, at least one shall be a current member of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Biologic Response Modifiers Advisory Committee and at least one shall be a current member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee.

The SACX was discontinued in June 2005.  However, because xenotransplantation remains an important public health issue, the Department of Health and Human Services has identified a number of options for comprehensively addressing xenotransplantation issues that may arise in the future.