> >LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (CNN) -- A team of surgeons has performed
> >the first hand transplant in the United States
> >"there are many doctors who, technically, could perform the surgery,
> > but are held back by ethical complications."
> >
> ><sigh>
>
> No, the argument (as I understand it) is that such surgery currently
> requires life-long major immune suppression.
Better start cloning hands then (uh oh, that wouldn't be "ethical", would it!). By the way, I've noticed that even in the Western world prosthetic limbs tend to be rather ugly and impractical (and often expensive too), although even some fairly basic tech could turn them into handy add-ons. Especially prosthetic hands offer lots of interesting possibilities like integrated phones, computers, life/ health monitors, weapon systems (mace and stun gun for example, or something more powerful), compartments to stash medications, money etc. etc. Having a useful, "space age" tool instead of a just an ugly piece of plastic/tubing attached to your body should make the [patient's] psychological adaptation process easier too.