Recently, 48-year-old man Li Changbo from Sichuan Province, China passed away and had multiple organs donated. He possessed the rare “panda blood” type and had good physical health since childhood. Official media reported that he died from “respiratory failure,” but did not disclose the underlying cause, leading to suspicions about the true circumstances.
On January 15, the Civilization Office of Henan Province revealed through their official WeChat account that on January 13, Li Changbo, a regular farmer from Taiqian County, at the age of 48, “reached the end of his life due to respiratory failure.” It was claimed that under the witness of the coordinator of the local Red Cross organ donation program, Li Changbo’s family “endured grief and followed his heartfelt wish from his lifetime” by donating his liver, kidneys, and corneas to five patients.
According to a report from the official media in Puyang, Henan on January 14, Li Changbo had good physical health since childhood, practiced lion dance, worked as a driver and security guard. Being of the rare “panda blood” type (Rh-negative blood), he annually donated blood voluntarily.
However, the report did not specify the illness that caused Li Changbo’s death.
The news about Li Changbo’s organ donation sparked skepticism among netizens on social media platforms in mainland China.
Some online users commented, “If he died from failure, how can his organs be healthy?” “Respiratory failure shouldn’t affect the heart, liver, and lungs?” “At 48 years old, all five organs were healthy, it’s too incredible to meet the donation criteria.” “The Red Cross never brings good news.” “Who would believe what they say?” “They’ve started targeting farmers.”
In response to this, Dr. Lin Xiaoxu, a virology expert from the United States, stated in an interview with NTD Television that from the official reports, details about when Li Changbo fell ill, the treatment process, and the actual cause of death were not provided for someone with good physical health like him, who had panda blood.
Regarding the claim by official media that the family donated organs in accordance with his wishes, Dr. Lin Xiaoxu suggested that it’s possible that the individual did not have the chance to consent to organ donation during his lifetime.
Vice Chairman Sheng Xue of the Democratic China Front also expressed doubt about this case from the perspectives of medical common sense and the basic standards of international organ transplants. She pointed out that respiratory failure is often not a standalone cause but is usually accompanied by severe lung infections.