Organ transplants for immortality: Might Xi and Putin be on to something?
Summary
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the idea of using organ transplants for potentially achieving immortality during a meeting in Beijing. While organ transplants currently save many lives and medical advances are extending the lifespan of transplanted organs, the conversation was more speculative in nature. Scientific efforts continue in developing new technologies to improve organ transplants, such as using genetically-altered animals and stem cells.Key Facts
- Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin mentioned organ transplants during a meeting, talking about living longer through multiple transplants.
- Organ transplants can save lives; in the UK, over 100,000 people have benefited in the last 30 years.
- A transplanted organ's lifespan depends on the donor's and recipient's health and care, lasting different lengths of time for different organs.
- Patients receiving transplants need to take immunosuppressants for life to prevent organ rejection.
- Scientists are working on genetically altering pigs to create organs that are less likely to be rejected by human recipients.
- Research is ongoing to grow human organs using stem cells, though fully functional transplants are not yet achievable.
- Recent scientific efforts include using stem cells to create immune system organs and intestinal grafts in the UK.
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