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Fetuses found at Hansen's disease sanitariums suggest forced abortions
January 28, 2005
A total of 114 unborn children stored as specimens in formalin have been found
at leprosy sanitariums across the nation, a council on Hansen's disease has
reported.
It is believed that many Hansen's disease patients were forced to terminate
their pregnancies and have abortions under previous policies that discriminated
against Hansen's sufferers.
A total of 29 of the fetuses were over eight months old, and there is a
possibility that some newborn babies were killed after women were forced to
deliver prematurely.
The Hansen's Disease Problem Verification Council, which found the fetuses,
filed a report on the discovery to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on
Thursday.
The report said 49 of the 114 fetuses were discovered at the Oku-Komyo-En
national sanitarium in Okayama Prefecture. Fetuses were also stored at four
other sanitariums and at the Leprosy Research Center in the National Institute
of Infectious Diseases.
Based on testimonies from other workers, it is thought that specimens were also
produced at other sanitariums.
Fifty-seven of the fetuses were dated between 1924 and 1956, and of these, 28
were produced in the 10 years between 1936 and 1945. No records existed for the
remaining 57 fetuses, and officials said it was unlikely they had been used for
research purposes.
The report submitted suggested that the cause of death of the fetuses be
examined after complying with the wishes of patients. It cited testimonies from
sources close to sanitariums that said, "There is a possibility that newborn
babies were killed."
Michihiro Ko, the director general of a nationwide council of Hansen's disease
patients, said the mothers of the fetuses probably wanted to hold memorial
services for the infants that were killed.
The government formed the verification council in 2002, hiring experts to
ensure that the mistakes created by past government policies would not be
repeated. On Thursday a report on the treatment of Hansen's disease patients
was also submitted to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The council
will be disbanded in March this year after a full report is submitted.
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