News > Cocaine was the secret ingredient in pig-to-human heart transplant

Cocaine was the secret ingredient in pig-to-human heart transplant

The organ used during the groundbreaking pig-to-human heart transplant that took place earlier this month got a boost from an unlikely drug: cocaine. Now, doctors hope to see more of the party drug in transplant hospitals.

Medical researchers aren’t clear on the mechanisms behind the amphetamine’s efficacy, but doctors weren’t concerned with the “why” at the time, as the cocaine and hormone blend had bested the alternatives.