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'Drug-induced hepatitis' caused by cozy ties among politicians, bureaucrats, and pharmaceutical industry: JCP Koike

The Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers group has consistently made efforts in the Diet to introduce relief measures for victims of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-tainted blood products by demanding a full investigation into and the government responsibility for the outbreak of the drug-induced hepatitis.

JCP House of Councilors member Koike Akira pointed out that in the 1970s the then Health and Welfare Ministry and then Green Cross Corporation (now Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation) had been aware of the danger of blood products called fibrinogen.

In 1973, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the significant rates of hepatitis infection caused by the blood products. In 1977, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposed a ban on the sale of fibrinogen.

In Japan, however, the controversial blood products were continuously used despite the known risk.

In 1985, the Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Council informally notified the government that the effectiveness of the products cannot be verified and that there are questions about the safety of the products. In addition, a group infection of hepatitis caused by fibrinogen broke out in 1987. Yet the government stopped short of revoking permission to produce these blood products.

Why?

Green Cross Corporation had given the Liberal Democratic Party as much as 10 million yen in political donations each year. Furthermore, a ministry's Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau director assumed the vice presidency of the corporation in 1978. In short, the drug maker was well-connected with politicians and bureaucrats.

Koike said, "Successive Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau directors after their retirements have taken executive posts in drug industry organizations and companies, putting priority on industry interests over public safety. The JCP has pointed out at this connection in the Diet. The need is to bring an end to such collusion."

Full relief is urgently required for all victims of drug-induced hepatitis.

Koike said, "It is necessary to take legislative measures to give compensation to the victims in medical services, job opportunities, and support for their living expenses." He went on to say, "It is hard for the patients to bear the high cost of treatment. The government should take relief measures such as free medical checkups, prohibition of discrimination in employment, and provision of disability pensions to the patients."
- Akahata, June 22, 2006