Category: Organ Donation

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 30, 2024 2
Intellectual disabilities Japan Organ Donation

Japan’s organ network voided donor intentions of mentally disabled

Japan’s key organ transplant network has invalidated the organ donation wishes of all individuals officially recognized as being intellectually disabled, the health ministry said Wednesday.

According to the operational guidelines of Japan’s organ transplant law, if a mentally disabled individual aged 15 or older lacks the capacity to express valid intent, organ removal should not be carried out.

However, the guidelines also state that an individual’s attending physician should assess whether their disability prevents them from expressing meaningful intent.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 13, 2024 1
Japan Medical Organ Donation Transplantation

Pigs for Organ Transplant Created for First Time in Japan

Japanese biotechnology startup PorMedTec Co. said Tuesday it has successfully created pigs for organ transplant into humans for the first time in Japan.

The Meiji University-driven firm used cells of pigs developed for xenotransplantation by U.S. startup eGenesis it imported in September last year. To suppress immune responses, the cell’s 10 genes were re-engineered.

Three genetically modified clone pigs were born on Sunday, PorMedTec said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt November 28, 2023 Number of comments0
Japan Organ Donation Transplantation

Japan NPO Exec Gets 8 Months for Unauthorized Organ Transplant Brokering

Tokyo District Court sentenced an executive of a Japanese nonprofit organization to eight months in prison Tuesday for unauthorized brokering of organ transplants.

Presiding Judge Yoshiro Baba handed down the ruling to Hiromichi Kikuchi, 63. Prosecutors had sought a one-year term and a fine of 1 million yen.

The judge fined the NPO that supports patients of intractable diseases 1 million yen, as had been sought by the prosecution.