The Realization of Japanese Integrated Medical Care through the Science and Technology Strategy

Abstract

Based on the effectiveness and quantification ("making visible") of traditional medicine and food made possible by the spread of IT (information technology) which began in the US and elsewhere in the 90 s, the coding of (about 7,000 kinds) and database creation for traditional Chinese medical herbs has been advanced and the acquisition of patents in the field of traditional medicine has become active.Intellectual property and patent strategies greatly affect the science and technology policy of each country, as symbolized by the pro-patent stance of the US with regards to traditional medicine. It is time that Japan follows this major global trend and makes nationwide efforts towards the realization of integrated medical care.The first thing Japan must do is integrate its medical policy and science and technology policy, as well as integrate the kind of "compartmentalized and narrow" policy of its various ministries