IDEA FOUR

301 Ａｏｙａｍａ Bldg.4-46-14 Ｓｅｎｇｏｋｕ, Ｂｕｎｋｙｏ-Ku, Tokyo, Japan 1１２−００１１ Tel／Fax: 813-3944-8198 E-mail:ideafour@ma3.justnet.ne.jp

WHEN WILL INFORMED CONSENT TAKE ROOT IN JAPAN？

• In Japan，informed consent mainly refers to physician's explanation and patients' full understanding/agreement on it. Patients' right to choose their own treatment methods is entirely overlooked.
  

IDEA FOUR's MAIN ACTIVITY IS PROMOTlON OF INFORED CHOICE

• lDEA FOUR in Japan, a non Profit grass-roots organization aiming to bring improvement in medical practices, was founded in 1989 by a group of breast cancer survivors who had chosen to have lumpectomies as its core members. Mastectomy was the norm in Japan then and finding surgeons who would perform lumpectomies required enormous efforts. Thus, we keenly felt the need for informed choice. We provide information of breast cancer to the general public through our various activities.
  
  OUR OBJECTIVES：
  　　　● Promotion of informed choice
  　　　● Collection and dissemination of breast cancer information
  
  ACTIVITIES：
  　　　● Publication of a quarterly IDEA FOUR Newsletter
  　　　● Physicians/Patient Surveys on breast cancer treatment and
  　　　　  publication of its outcome in l990, l993, and 1998.
  　　　● Free telephone counseling
  　　　● Lectures and seminars on Lumpectomy, Chemotherapy,
  　　　　  Recurrence and Metastases, Informed Consent and more
  　　　● Workshop on ”Clinical Trials”for medical consumers
  　　　● Participation in the Cochrane Collaboration as medical consumers
  　　　● Participation in a medical school students' program on ”Clinical
  　　　　  Studies，Theories and Practices”
  
  LIST OF PUBLICATIONS OF BREAST CANCER：
  　　　● 1993 ”Our Experience of Breast Cancer and Lumpectomy”
  　　　● 1997 ”Let ME Decide My Own Breast Cancer Treatment”
  　　　● 1998 Report of Breast Cancer Surveys on Physicians and Patients
  　　　● 1999 "IDEA FOUR's Lectures and Seminars in 10 Years"
  
  MEMBERS：
  　　　● 550 members consisting of Four groups:　
  　　　　 1. Patients(mainly breast cancer survivors)
  　　　　 2. Their Families
  　　　　 3. Medical Professionals and
  　　　　 4. Society.