Medical Ethics the Japanese Way

Japanese attitudes toward a variety of specific bioethical issues, including artificial insemination by donor, in vitro fertilization followed by embryo transfer, care of handicapped newborns, brain death, organ transplantation, and truthtelling to terminally ill patients are discussed.

Abstract

Feldman describes the discipline of medical ethics as relatively\nundeveloped in Japan, where cultural values of consensus and deference to\nauthority result in few challenges to physician decision making. He discusses\nJapanese attitudes toward a variety of specific bioethical issues, including\nartificial insemination by donor, in vitro fertilization followed by embryo\ntransfer, care of handicapped newborns, brain death, organ transplantation,\nand truthtelling to terminally ill patients. (KIE abstract)