LONDON, England (CNN) -- Earlier this week, the case of Hiroki Ando, the Japanese 11-year-old boy who was denied a heart transplant in Japan, highlighted the vast cultural divide in attitudes towards organ transplant and availability worldwide. Hiroki had to travel to the U.S., where he is awaiting a heart, because Japan prohibits organ transplants involving children.
Just like in this BionicMe.com post, families gotta do what they gotta do to get treatment.
Comments
Although, the Japanese boy got his kidney from Spain, I think that it is not right to say that they lead in organ donating since you could get organ donations wherever you are. It just happened that he got his from London.
I want to become a bionic man with super strength and other bionic powers.
It is sad to read the story of 11 years old Hiroki. It may appear like a catche 22 situation at present because of the laws followed in Japan. Exploration in the world of values among the parents and families in respect of their kids is what is the need. It is really painful to lose a child and then allow his/her heart to be used for transplatnation. Still I hope that days will change.
Why doesn't Japan allow children to get transplants? They don't want to save their kids?
Argh I love me some sailing!
The risk to children is greater.
What risk could be greater to the child then death if they do not get their transplant?
It is not that they will not allow it technically. The law is that an organ can be harvested from a brain dead person only and only with consent from the family AND the person that is now brain dead. With that law most children that have become brain dead are not able to consent to their organs being harvested via license or what have you. That is why the children do not get transplants because the organs from adults that consent and meet the criteria are too big for their bodies. It is a technicality that is under review.
Great post, thanks johnCONNER!
I think it is just another form of organized population control from their country.
I would have to agree. It seems like this definatly needs to be reviewed...how tough to hear your child needs an organ but can't have one...should be enough for parental consent.
johnCONNER, instead of being population control, perhaps the Japanese consider this a moral issue? If children aren't allowed to vote, drink, engage in sexual activity, fight in war or engage in a binding contract, do they have the full mental capacity to truly decide if they want to give parts of their bodies to another?
How moral can the issue be if they are not allowing transplants to save their lives. I think that it should be up to the families of the minors to donate their organs. I am sure it is really tough decision but why let the other children that have a chance to live...die? In AZmerica this is the way the program operates and it is successful...why can it not be done this way in Japan?
They say that in Japan, they don't let kids get transplants because it requires another kid's organ, and the donating kid doesn't have the authority to donate the organ (minor, not 18 years old, etc.) It's sort of a Catch-22. The parents should be allowed to donate their child's organs if the child dies.
Organ donation is a nice idea. Will the organ donated be of good use to the recepient? This is the million dollar question in the minds of several researchers. Can the donated brain offer some help to the recepient?
Thanks.