is February 28, 1999 at the Hospital of the Red Cross to Kochi, for the first time, in accordance with the law on organ transplants, a sampling of the heart of a person state of brain death was made.
Since then, 10 years have passed. But during this interval, only 81 samples were collected on individuals in a state of brain death.
Compared to thousands of cases in the United States and hundreds of cases observed in the major countries of Europe it is still too small. For this reason, infants to adults age, many Japanese cross the ocean in search of a transplant. The Japanese situation is under fire from critics who speak of a "transplant tourism" that is not unrelated to the organ trade. The organization World Health Organization during its General Assembly in May has suggested the establishment of guidelines requiring the implementation of organ transplants nationally.
The patience of the international community at the turn of the 10 years seems to have reached its limits. Why
levies on individuals in a state of brain death are they so few? In reality, the current law on organ transplantation, fixed in the case of transplanting a heart from a patient brain dead, strict conditions that have no parallel in other countries. Thus, the United States for example, when the will of a person is not known, the agreement of the family allows the removal of organs. In contrast, in Japan, the will of the person to donate his organs, it must be certified in writing as a donor card in particular, is a sine qua non. And even then, the levy may only take place if there is opposition from the family.
Only persons aged 15 and older can express their willingness to donate their organs. Therefore, transplantation of organs intended for infants, because of the inadequate size of organs, are virtually impossible. For this reason, children who, after creating a support fund, go to the United States or elsewhere to undergo transplantation are legion.
Where the directive of the WTO is accepted, the organ transplant abroad would become increasingly difficult. The revision of the law on organ transplants in this case appears difficult to avoid.
According to an opinion poll conducted by the government, people pay to align with U.S. standards for organ transplants derived from individual brain dead, over 50%. Even the Japanese Pediatric Society, which had so far demonstrated a reserved attitude regarding the integration of children in the range of persons able to be judged brain dead, will establish a study committee with a view to reconsidering its orientations.
However, the political class remains sluggish. The bill enabling the removal of organs by American standards as well as lowering to 12 the age at which it is possible to express its willingness to be a donor have been submitted to the Diet but discussions Substantial have not started. While the adoption guidelines by WHO is imminent, the Diet Will it continue to leave the question open?
translation of the editorial the Yomiuri Shinbun, 27 February 2009
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