The reasons given by the Japanese public, scientists, and school and university students toward xenotransplantation were assessed by questionnaire surveys and by respondents' written comments. Between 1997 and 2000, there was an increase... more
The reasons given by the Japanese public, scientists, and school and university students toward xenotransplantation were assessed by questionnaire surveys and by respondents' written comments. Between 1997 and 2000, there was an increase in the number of people who said they had heard of xenotransplant research, from 43 percent to 67 percent. In 2000, three in ten among the public said that it should be encouraged, while half said that it should not. In contrast, just less than half of the scientists said they supported the technology. The major reasons given in all groups were to save human life, versus safety and ethical concerns. More of the general public and school students considered xenotransplants to be unnatural compared with the scientists and university students. The reasons given are discussed in light of Japanese culture and the situation regarding organ transplants. Some in all groups, including young people, expressed both benefits and risks of this technology, and sophisticated arguments were used, suggesting that a number of people are able to consider moral dilemmas, such as those posed by the use of genetically engineered animals for xenotransplants. Still there remain a number of even educated persons who argue on only one side of the debate over the use of xenotransplants.
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The attitudes that the public in Japan have to gene therapy were surveyed through the use of opinion surveys in 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000 and 2003. This paper presents the results of these surveys on different groups, and in particular... more
The attitudes that the public in Japan have to gene therapy were surveyed through the use of opinion surveys in 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000 and 2003. This paper presents the results of these surveys on different groups, and in particular examines the open comments that people made in response to being asked whether they would personally use gene therapy if they were suffering from a fatal disease. The optimism towards gene therapy among the public in Japan is similar in 2003 as it was in 1991, with over half agreeing to use gene therapy upon themselves if tests showed that they were likely to get a serious or fatal genetic disease later in life. The level of enthusiasm was also similar in national random surveys of natural scientists in 1991 and in 2000. The major reasons for this support were to save their own life, and a variety of other reasons are described. There is also a presentation of the titles and content analysis of articles on gene therapy published in Asahi Shimbun newspaper over the same period. The attitudes, policy and regulation are discussed.