December 15, 1995
Web posted at: 3:06 p.m. EST
From Correspondent Rusty Dornin
SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- An AIDS patient who received a bone marrow transplant from a baboon was in "very good condition" Friday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
"I'm feeling great," Jeff Getty was quoted as saying as he drank a cup of French roast coffee. In a historic operation Thursday, doctors transplanted bone marrow from a baboon into the 38-year-old Oakland man.
"I love life, but I learned with this disease, if you don't take some chances, you won't survive."
(102K AIFF sound or 102K WAV sound)-- Jeff Getty
Doctors hope the living cells from the baboon will help restore Getty's immune system, which radiation treatments had virtually destroyed. For reasons not clear, baboons are resistant to the AIDS infection.
Getty will remain in a San Francisco hospital for at least three weeks. It may be months before doctors will know if this first-of-its kind treatment worked.
Friends and family held an emotional vigil outside San Francisco General Hospital before the operation to show support for Getty.
"All I care about right now is how this works out for him and the rest of the people who have AIDS," said Getty's mother Susan Getty.
But according to the doctors, the most Getty can hope for is a stronger immune system and prolonged life.
"This is not a cure. There's no way that this particular approach will eliminate HIV from the patients' body," said Steven Deeks, a doctor with San Francisco General Hospital.
"I know that there's risk but for me to do nothing is more risky than for me to move ahead. For me to sit here and think I'm gonna get better is a joke," said Getty. (85K AIFF sound or 85K WAV sound)
Getty may not be the only one at risk.
Federal health officials approved the experiment in August, but cautioned baboon diseases could cross over from animals to humans.
"That may not produce disease in the recipient for years but during that time can be transmitted to their contacts and eventually cause diseases in both," said Louisa Chapman of the Centers for Disease Control.
Getty will stay in the hospital long enough to make sure he's not showing obvious signs of carrying a virus that could infect someone else.
Doctors had considered the possibility that Getty would not survive the operation.
"We may lose Jeff in the procedure and so it's kind of hard for us to keep even about this, not as even as Jeff's been keeping," said Getty's friend Matthew Sharp.
Doctors said if the procedure proves successful it could help AIDS patients and possibly people suffering from other diseases
Those patients might take heart from Getty's words before the operation. "I love life," he said. "but I learned with this disease, if you don't take some chances, you won't survive."
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