Environment

Since 2019, different industries across Japan have begun implementing upper limit regulations on overtime and holiday working hours under the “Work Style Reform Act.” A five-year grace period was given to the medical industry, with the Revised Medical Law enacted in 2021. After three years of preparation, overtime and holiday working for doctors will be limited from April 1 this year to no more than 960 hours a year, with some exceptions depending on the type of medical institution. What changes will this bring about for physicians working in the clinical field and what does it mean for those of us using the medical system?

In this edition of the COSMO newsletter, we take a closer look at issues facing the medical industry in 2024 and how to respond to them, with input from Dr. Jun Itami of Shin-Matsudo Central General Hospital. Read on to the end for Dr. Itami’s full profile.

Health issues caused by the rising temperatures associated with climate change have increased dramatically in recent years. Record heat waves in Europe caused more than 60,000 deaths last year, while a sharp increase in climate disasters such as floods and droughts in Africa have led to worsening food security and the spread of infectious diseases. Japan is no exception, and the number of “Heat Stroke Alerts” issued by the Ministry of the Environment continues to rise each year. This year, the number exceeded 1,000 for the first time since the alerts began, with escalating numbers of people being transported to emergency rooms due to heat stroke.

In this edition of the COSMO newsletter, we sit down with Dr. Yasushi Honda, Professor Emeritus of Sports Science at the University of Tsukuba to get his take on the health risks posed by climate change; the key facts you need to know; and how the healthcare industry should respond.

Have you heard of PFAS? Standing for “Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances,” PFAS is the generic name for artificially created organic fluorine compounds. Capable of repelling water and oil, in addition to being highly resistant to heat, chemicals, and ultraviolet rays, they are used in a wide range of applications from water repellents and emulsifiers, to fire extinguishing agents and surface treatments for packaging materials. However, as stable compounds, PFAS have also become known as “forever chemicals” since they can remain in the environment with little degradation. Reportedly, some PFAS may potentially affect human health if people are internally exposed to them for long periods of time. In recent years, there has been an accelerating trend toward their tighter regulation, particularly in the US and Europe. In this newsletter, we asked Dr. Kouji Harada, Associate Professor at the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, to introduce some of the fundamentals around PFAS, as well as share his insights into related domestic and international trends, and what approach the healthcare industry should take. Read on to the end for Dr. Harada’s profile.