- 著者
-
伊藤 幸郎
- 出版者
- 日本医学哲学・倫理学会
- 雑誌
- 医学哲学 医学倫理 (ISSN:02896427)
- 巻号頁・発行日
- vol.9, pp.120-125, 1991-07-31 (Released:2018-02-01)
In 1872, the westernized Japanese government of the Meiji Restoration proclaimed a law which legalized the separation of pharmacy and medicine, imitating the tradition of western countries in those days. However, traditional Japanese (and also classical Chinese) medicine identified diagnosis with therapy, and most of the physicians had long been accustomed to compounding drugs by themselves at a patient's bedside. Even the westernized physicians continued to maintain the right to prepare drugs, which was permitted by an exceptional provision in the above-mentioned law. Moreover, the Japanese government in the Meiji era adopted the German medical system as a desirable model for Japanese medicine. This choice resulted in the introduction of a physiciancentered medical model following the German social system in the 19th century, in which doctors regarded other health professionals, including pharmacists as physicians' servants. Since then the social standing of Japanese pharmacists has been unduly low, far lower than in Europe, where this profession maintained a position called "the Great No.1 ", viz. the most trusted profession. For this reason the students of present Japanese pharmaceutical colleges have gloomy prospects for their future and have little pride in their profession. To overcome these gloomy prospects it is necessary to reform the physician-centered medical system, making it a patient-centered one based on equal standings of all health professionals. At the same time, more interest in human values should be introduced into both medicine and pharmacy, which are too science-oriented and dehumanized today. If the medical system is reformed in such a favorable way, the pharmaceutical students will have pride in their profession and will be able to take active parts in the clinical field. However there are still many obstacles to be overcome before the realization of this ideal.