1. ¹Department of Biostudies and Society, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan, Tel: +81 75 753 9244, Fax: +81 75 753 9245, Email: makina@lif.kyoto-u.ac.jp
2. ²Regional Advisor on Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific, at RUSHSAP, UNESCO Bangkok, Thailand

Received 16 March 2006.

Abstract

Analysis of responses from a 2003 survey of 304 Japanese biotechnology companies found that 93 per cent responded that they had never had a bioethical problem related to biotechnology in their company but 31 per cent did expect to have some kind of problem in the future while 26 per cent already had systems in place to deal with these issues. The open responses to all these questions are presented and discussed. Specific issues raised by the companies concerned problems related to dealing with human samples, clinical trials, animal experiments and public reaction to their research/business. Concerns about future problems relating to intellectual property rights (IPRs) were not raised by any of the companies. A number of different systems were in place to deal with bioethical issues although some companies said they did not need any specific system to deal with any problems which might arise.