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Organ Donation In Japan: A Longitudinal Study Of Quality Of Life Of Living Liver Donors, Etsuko Soeda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Japan is a highly developed country with a gross national product second only to the United States. Yet in the field of organ transplantation involving organ donation from victims who died from trauma such as automobile accidents and brain hemorrhage, Japan is behind all western countries and many developing countries. Removing organs from deceased donors was prohibited in Japan until 1997.

Currently cadaveric organ donation remains minimal and, as a result, patients in need of heart transplantation must often pay for surgery performed abroad. One of the saddest sights on Japanese streets is a child standing on the street with …