Department of Biomedical Ethics, School of Public Health, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Division of Medical Ethics, Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
J Public Health (Oxf). 2020 Feb 28;42(1):194-197. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdy143.
In the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant accident, many workers helped restore the contaminated site, exposing themselves to a highly radioactive environment. They were referred to as the 'Fukushima 50' and applauded as heroes who saved Japan. A cohort study targeting those emergency workers is, currently, underway. We object to the study on ethical grounds.
Ethical and content analyses.
First, the low participation rate raises ethical questions about why potential participants declined. Content analyses of nuclear power plant workers' narratives from a television broadcast extracted eight recurrent themes: disposable, treated like a sacrificial pawn, taboo, fear of contamination, readiness to risk one's life, distrust and dissatisfaction with the nation's response, regret over participating and uncertainty about the future. Second, the unscientific nature of the cohort design undermines the ethical basis for conducting it. Third, public resources were allocated in a way that compromises justice.
We urge re-considering the current Fukushima 50 research study. We also urge applying the public funds now invested in this research project to activities that would directly benefit the Fukushima 50, such as offering free lifetime healthcare and direct financial compensation.
在 2011 年福岛核电厂事故发生后，许多工人帮助清理了受污染的场地，使自己暴露在高度放射性的环境中。他们被称为“福岛 50 人”，被誉为拯救日本的英雄。目前正在对这些应急工作人员进行队列研究。我们基于伦理理由反对这项研究。
伦理和内容分析。
首先，低参与率引发了关于为什么潜在参与者拒绝参与的伦理问题。对从电视广播中提取的核电工作人员叙述的内容分析，得出了八个反复出现的主题：一次性的、被当作牺牲的棋子、禁忌、对污染的恐惧、准备冒生命危险、对国家反应的不信任和不满、对参与的遗憾和对未来的不确定性。其次，队列设计的非科学性破坏了进行该研究的伦理基础。第三，公共资源的分配方式有失公正。
我们敦促重新考虑当前的福岛 50 人研究。我们还敦促将目前用于这项研究项目的公共资金用于直接使福岛 50 人受益的活动，例如提供终身免费医疗保健和直接经济补偿。
