Japan updates organ transplantation bill

Hum, Well the conclusion of your post is rather worrisome, Lawmaker should know and be well informed when voting on any bill or amendment. 

Who is behind the "misinformation?" 

This will be a big improvement, I never understood why Japan never allowed children, or more likely, their parents to donate the organs of deceased children. 

CNN reported on a recent case, 11-year-old Hiroki Ando will likely die if he does not get a new heart and must travel to America to have a transplant. I think this puts an enormous emotional strain on this boy, and no doubt a financial strain on is family.

Although the passing of the bill should improve the situation but I fear it don't lead to much of an increase in transplants for children. The Japanese lack understanding about transplants so many will still not donate organs, even though in all cases corpses are cremated.

There needs to be a government campaign to raise the awareness and to educate people and encourage a donor  carry card scheme like in other countries.

It will take many more years to change the Japanese thinking on this story and children like, Hiroki Ando will continue to die or be forced to seek transplants overseas.

The changing of the law is good but only a step of many more which need to be taken.

thanks for the great info, Thanks for taking the time to share this with us

According to an article on the Japan Times

Japanese who travelled to the United States to get new hearts were charged as much as about $1.63 million for the operation in 2008, or five times higher than in previous years, medical sources well-versed in organ transplants said Thursday.

The figures indicate that Japanese and other foreign patients who are going overseas for transplant surgery are being gouged.

Although it was not immediately clear why the fees suddenly rose in 2008, it may be an indication that U.S. hospitals are trying to put priority on their own citizens.

The average fee charged to 42 Japanese who went to the U.S. for heart transplants between 1998 and 2008 rose to about ¥80 million last year, compared with between ¥30 million and ¥70 million in the past, they said.

One child patient was charged as much as ¥160 million for the operation last year, while another was required to put down a deposit of ¥400 million in March, the sources said.

In the U.S., the only country that accepts Japanese for heart transplants, nationals are charged $300,000 on average in hospital and physician fees for the operation, they said, adding that the figure does not include pre and post-treatment fees.

Oh, thank you so much for posting about this. I was really worried about Hiroki Ando, and I hope that this means that he'll get his new heart now. I understand that organ transplants are a controversial and for some, taboo, subject. I only hope that Japan will begin to educate their people on the gift of organ donation, so that it becomes more accepted.

I know it must be hard to let a loved one while on life support go, but I believe that by giving my organs to those that need them most when I die, I will live on in them. To me, life support isn't being alive anymore, plan and simple. I would be a burden to those who love me otherwise. Not only that, but it's the right thing to do for me.

Something good can come of my death that way, and that's important. I hope that in time, people who oppose organ donation can come to see things that way. But if they can't, I hope for them to carry out the wishes of their loved ones as asked. If you're reading this, and you haven't told your family whether or not you want to donate your organs, please do so now. ^_^