The Worlds First Face Transplant

In 2005, Isabelle Dinoire become the first person to receive a new face. The decision made by French surgeons to perform the operation went against the findings of almost every other ethical committee in the world and has since sparked a fierce debate over the ethics of the operation. In the UK, a team led by Peter Butler struggles to get approval to perform the first full face transplant. Do the risks outweigh the benefits? Are face transplants really in the best interest of the patient? Horizon investigates.

Other episodes for this season

Space Tourists
Episode 1 - Space Tourists
Waiting for a Heartbeat
Episode 2 - Waiting for a Heartbeat
A War on Science
Episode 3 - A War on Science
The Lost City of New Orleans
Episode 4 - The Lost City of New Orle...
Most of Our Universe Is Missing
Episode 5 - Most of Our Universe Is M...
Winning Gold in 2012
Episode 6 - Winning Gold in 2012
The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow
Episode 7 - The Woman Who Thinks Like...
The Genius Sperm Bank
Episode 8 - The Genius Sperm Bank
Bye Bye Planet Pluto
Episode 9 - Bye Bye Planet Pluto
We Love Cigarettes
Episode 10 - We Love Cigarettes
Nuclear Nightmares
Episode 11 - Nuclear Nightmares
Tutankhamun's Fireball
Episode 12 - Tutankhamun's Fireball
Survivors Guide to Plane Crashes
Episode 13 - Survivors Guide to Plane...
Chimps are People Too
Episode 14 - Chimps are People Too
The Worlds First Face Transplant
Episode 15 - The Worlds First Face Transplant
Human v2.0
Episode 16 - Human v2.0
The Great Robot Race
Episode 17 - The Great Robot Race
Pandemic
Episode 18 - Pandemic
We are the Aliens
Episode 19 - We are the Aliens