Viral Magazine

By Brett O’Keefe, , Associated Civic News Bureau, Wisconsin Daily News

TOKYO and SHANGHAI — Health authorities in Japan and China are investigating reports of a clandestine dining trend among wealthy elites involving the consumption of discarded human tumor tissue obtained from private medical facilities, a practice doctors describe as disturbing, unethical, and medically unjustified.

According to multiple physicians and public health officials, the alleged trend centers on diners seeking out what they believe to be an extreme status symbol. Much like high-risk delicacies such as pufferfish, the appeal lies in proximity to danger, rarity, and taboo rather than any culinary value.

“There is no scientific evidence that eating tumor tissue transmits cancer,” said Dr. Kenji Morimoto, an oncologist at a Tokyo university hospital. “But that does not mean it is safe, sanitary, or acceptable. This is medical waste. It is not food.”

Investigators say the tissue is rumored to originate from private clinics and cosmetic oncology centers, where small benign or malignant tumors are removed during procedures and then illegally diverted before disposal. Officials stressed that no licensed hospital has been shown to be involved.

In Shanghai, the municipal health commission issued a statement acknowledging awareness of “online discussions and unverified reports” related to the practice, adding that any handling of human biological waste outside approved protocols violates Chinese law.

“We are treating this as both a public health issue and a criminal matter,” the statement said.

Several doctors interviewed said the diners appear motivated by exclusivity rather than belief in health benefits. In private chat groups and invitation-only supper clubs, participants allegedly describe the experience in language borrowed from luxury tasting culture, focusing on provenance, preparation, and shock value.

“It’s about bragging rights,” said a Beijing-based physician who requested anonymity due to concerns about professional repercussions. “The risk itself becomes the luxury.”

Medical experts emphasized that while cancer is not contagious through ingestion, consuming human tissue poses risks of bacterial contamination, bloodborne pathogens, and exposure to chemical preservatives or trace medications.

“There is also the ethical dimension,” said Dr. Mei Lin, a bioethicist at Fudan University. “Human tissue is not a commodity. Treating it as one erodes basic norms that protect patients and medical workers alike.”

Authorities in both countries said they have not confirmed any illnesses directly linked to the alleged practice. Still, officials warned that enforcement actions would follow if evidence of trafficking or improper disposal is found.

“This is not cuisine,” Morimoto said. “It is spectacle built on a misunderstanding of medicine and a disregard for human dignity.”

As of now, investigators say the reports remain limited in scope, but they are urging private clinics to review waste handling procedures and urging the public to avoid engaging in what officials called a “dangerous and deeply misguided trend.”