Kita Y, Aranami Y, Aranami Y, Nomura Y, Johnson K, Wakabayashi T, Fukunishi I
Transplant Recipients International Organization, Japan Chapter, Japan.
Prog Transplant. 2000 Jun;10(2):106-8. doi: 10.1177/152692480001000206.
Although organ transplantation following brain death has progressed in the West, it has lagged far behind in Japan, following the first such case in 1968. As effective immunosuppressants made transplantation a better option, Japanese patients increasingly sought treatment overseas. Japanese physician groups studied issues related to transplantation but did not succeed in making brain-dead donor transplants available to patients, and the matter was referred to the government. However, transplant medicine was still marked by controversy, and as political pressure was applied the controversy deepened, splintering public opinion. At the same time, transplant groups continued working to establish structures to allow transplantation to proceed. Public awareness and knowledge of brain death grew, and acceptance widened. Eventually, legislation was passed in June 1997 that allowed organ donations from some brain-dead donors. The law is restrictive, and such organ transplants in Japan are still limited.
尽管脑死亡后的器官移植在西方已取得进展，但在日本却远远落后，自1968年首例此类病例以来一直如此。随着有效的免疫抑制剂使移植成为更好的选择，日本患者越来越多地寻求海外治疗。日本医生团体研究了与移植相关的问题，但未能成功为患者提供脑死亡供体移植，此事被提交给了政府。然而，移植医学仍存在争议，随着政治压力的施加，争议加剧，公众舆论出现分歧。与此同时，移植团体继续努力建立允许移植进行的架构。公众对脑死亡的认识和了解不断提高，接受度也在扩大。最终，1997年6月通过了一项法律，允许从一些脑死亡供体进行器官捐赠。该法律具有限制性，日本的此类器官移植仍然有限。
