First human head transplant to be performed by doctor critics call 'nuts'

Suffering from the rare genetic Werdnig-Hoffman muscle wasting disease, diagnosed when he was one, Valery Spiridonov says that he is ready to undergo the first human head transplant.

To all our readers, Please don't scroll past this.

Today, we humbly ask you to defend Catholic Online's independence. 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. If you donate just $5.00, or whatever you can, Catholic Online could keep thriving for years. Most people donate because Catholic Online is useful. If Catholic Online has given you $5.00 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, Catholic information that their work matters. If you are one of our rare donors, you have our gratitude and we warmly thank you. Help Now >

span style="line-height: 15.8599996566772px;">MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - The 30-year-old Russian computer scientist says his decision to put his trust to the controversial Italian doctor, Dr. Sergio Canavero is final and he hopes the procedure will happen by next year. However, critics describe the head anastomosis venture (HEAVEN) procedure as "pure fantasy" and the doctor was even compared to the fictional character Dr. Frankenstein.

Spiridonov told the Daily Mail that although he is scared, he also wants the chance of having a normal healthy body as his head is going to be transplanted to a healthy brain dead donor.

He explained that he did not offer himself as a guinea pig, but as a fully aware participant that could help lead science into its next level.


"In the end it is like with astronauts. Before the first man we sent into space, 300 different scenarios of something going wrong were thought through but when he actually did it, it was the 301st scenario that happened," he said.

According to Spiridonov, his family supports his decision and do not think he is doing this because of his lack of social life, as some people have speculated.

Dr. Canavero and Spiridonov have yet to meet each other in person but have conversed with each other through emails and Skype.

Keep a rosary always within your reach. Find the perfect rosaries for home, work and parish.

Although Spiridonov is optimistic, several critics express negative reactions towards the whole thing. Critics believe Dr. Canavero has simplified the dangers on the reattachment of the spinal cord. He is described as "nuts" by the director of medical ethics at the NYU's Langone Medical Centre Arthur Caplan.

HEAVEN is still lacking the necessary funds but Dr. Canavero is confident on the project's success.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'