[MHLW] Publication of “Recommendations for Medical Measures Relative to Organ Transplantation”

On March 18, 2022, the document on “Recommendations for the Update of Medical Measures Relative to Organ Transplantation” was published by the Organ Transplant Committee of the Disease Control and Prevention Division under the Health Sciences Council.  Considering that more than ten years have passed since the amendment of the Organ Transplantation Act, the committee has held 12 meetings, including two working groups, since April 2021 to review organ transplant measures implemented and organize issues in relation to procedures and has discussed how to advance organ transplantation further. Then, the committee compiled the recommendations through a wide range of discussions, including hearings with local authorities and relevant organizations.

The recommendations are as follows:

1.  Promoting public awareness concerning organ transplantation

  1. Awareness-raising concerning organ transplantation

2. Setting up a system that respects the will of organ donors

  1. The need for criteria to exclude organ donation from children suspected as victims of abuse.
  2. Organ donation from persons with intellectual disabilities, etc.
  3. Information disclosure surrounding organ donation
  4. Determination of brain death and transfer to a hospital for organ donation

3. Promotion of appropriate organ transplantation with the use of medical technology

  1. Organ donation after cardiac arrest
  2. Positioning of auxiliary tests in the manual for legal brain death determination

4. Enhanced family support by multidisciplinary cooperation with professionals

  1. Securing organ transplant coordinators
  2. Support for donor families

On the matter of organ donation from persons with intellectual disabilities and the like,  it was recommended that "it is appropriate to revise the guidelines to allow organ donation with the written consent of the family, regardless of the presence or absence of intellectual disability, even if the donor is under 15 years of age."

For more information, please visit the website below (Japanese only):
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/shingi/shingi-kousei_127745.html

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