World Leaders Caught Discussing Organ Harvesting On Hot Mic

Comments caught on a hot mic revealed Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping suggesting that organ transplants could help people live to be 150 years old. The disturbing remarks were later dismissed by the top transplant specialist in the United States.

Media outlet Reuters captured the exchange on Wednesday from CCTV footage. Not long after the comments were reported in the news, Dr. James Markmann spoke with Fox News Digital, stating that Putin and Xi should focus on topics such as ethics and organ access instead.

Putin and Xi were having a conversation as they walked alongside the notorious North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un, during a military parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing, the capital of China.

As the parade made its way toward Tiananmen Square, Putin’s interpreter was heard saying in Chinese, “Biotechnology is continuously developing,” Fox News reported.

The same interpreter then explained that the Russian president believed that “human organs can be continuously transplanted,” going on to add, “the longer you live, the younger you become, and you can even achieve immortality.”

At the time these comments were made, Xi was off camera. However, the Chinese president responded to Putin, saying, “Some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”

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While speaking with Fox, Dr. Markmann, President of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons’ Executive Council, popped the two leaders’ balloon.

“Transplantation of vital organs is a lifesaving and life-prolonging procedure for patients with organ failure,” he told the outlet on Wednesday. “But there is no scientific evidence that it promotes immortality, nor that humans could realistically reach 150 years of age through transplants.”

Later, Putin told reporters in China that both men had indeed discussed longevity science and potential health breakthroughs for the future. It’s not the first time the Russian president has expressed interest in anti-aging research.

“In 2024, he ordered the creation of a state-backed research institute called New Health Preservation Technologies, focused on cellular rejuvenation, neurotechnology and organ regeneration,” Fox reported. “His daughter, endocrinologist Maria Vorontsova, has also received state grants for cell renewal and genetics research.”

Xi, on the other hand, hasn’t been as clearly linked to longevity projects. However, Beijing has been working toward making biotechnology one of the central pillars of the Chinese economy.

“I won’t comment on the private musings of world leaders, but we must remember that more than 100,000 individuals in the United States are currently awaiting lifesaving organ transplants,” Markmann finished. “The ethical concern isn’t immortality but equity, access, and making sure organs save lives today.”