Public consensus has to be reached for recognition of brain death
(From The Japan Times June 20 issue)

要約
臓器移植法案改正に不可欠な国民の理解

The Lower House, by a 263-167 vote June 18, passed a bill to (1) recognize brain death as actual death, and (2) allow organ transplants from a brain-dead person of any age if his or her family members approve and if the person had not openly rejected the possibility of becoming a donor.

The bill would revise the 1997 Organ Transplant Law, which allows organ donations from a brain-dead person at least 15 years old only if that person had indicated his or her intention of becoming a donor in writing, such as on a donor's card, and if his or her family members approve the organ donation.

At present, there is no public consensus on whether brain death should be accepted as actual death. The bill clearly represents a departure from current law, which does not recognize brain death as actual death and allows organ transplants only from people who accept brain death as actual death. It is regrettable that the Lower House passed the bill without a wide public debate on the issue. The Upper House needs to examine the bill carefully and hear opinions from various segments of the public.

脳死を人の死と位置づけ、年齢に関係なく本人の意思が不明なら臓器提供の決断を家族に委ねる臓器移植法改正案が、衆院で可決された。

97年に施行された現行法は、脳死者が15歳以上であり、書面で提供意思を示しているときのみ、家族の承認のもと提供が可能としている。死の定義に関し、十分な国民の理解と論議があったとは言えない。参院は改正案を精査し、広く国民の意見を聞くべきだ。

改正案は国内で特に子供の移植の拡大を図るが、脳死を死と考えない人の抵抗もあり、緊急医療、末期医療に影響を与え、ドナー家族へ圧力を及ぼす。参院は脳死を死とする考えを改め、暴行や虐待による脳死者からの移植を防ぐための議論を重ねるべきだ。