New Zealand was a world leader in communicating and consulting with the public over new biological technologies, she said in an interview.
On Tuesday, the Government announced approval for the "cutting edge" clinical trials, the first time this has been done under the Medicines Act.
Eight Middlemore Hospital patients with type 1 diabetes will take part in the trials.
Islet cells from the pancreas of piglets are implanted in the abdomen of diabetes patients to manufacture insulin and help control their blood sugar levels.
Ministerial approval has come after the Bioethics Council consulted the public regarding "the cultural, ethical and spiritual dimensions" of xenotransplantation.
The council later concluded, in early 2006, that there should not be a complete ban on xenotransplantation but that the special issues involved be considered case by case.
Prof Fleming was a member of the former royal commission on genetic modification, which recommended that the Bioethics Council be established.
As a former commission member, she felt "quite proud" but humble that public consultation by the council had paved the way for the novel research.
This could bring big benefits for some diabetics, but also took into account concerns about the risk of diseases being transmitted across species boundaries, she said.
• Xenotransplantation involves removing an organ or tissue from one species and transplanting it into a member of a different species.