Economist

About the author: The Economist is a weekly magazine of business and politics.

The chronic shortage of organs for transplant has led scientists to pursue ethically problematic research, including experiments on cloning human cells and attempting animal-to-human transplants. The need for these controversial techniques could be obviated by the development of artificial organs. Many companies are working to perfect synthetic blood, which promises to alleviate blood donor shortages and the problem of donated blood being tainted with disease and HIV infection. Artificial heart technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and artificial livers are in the works. Some companies are also experimenting with artificial lungs, bones, and skin.

Where once they seemed utopian, early promises by genetic engineers to stave off disease, replenish stocks of...