"Life Conference" Flame Uproar What After? Dec 25, 18:10

How do you want to be at the end of your life and value it?
The word “life meeting” was born when we had those people talk to those around us on a daily basis. However, criticism gathered in the poster created by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in an attempt to disseminate this, and it developed into an uproar that the publication was stopped in one day. What the hell happened? How did the officials take it? And, after such confusion, what is born now? (Production Bureau Chief Director Mamoru Ichikawa)

Uprising poster

This is the poster that caused the uproar. Created by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to spread the word and thinking of the "Life Conference".

Comedy artist Chiyo Koyabu is dressed as a person near the end of his death, and his thoughts can no longer be conveyed when his life threatens. He calls for a life meeting before that.

The protesting patient group

Miho Katagi, the representative of the ovarian cancer patient group, looked at the poster design that appeared on his SNS timeline on November 25, the day of the release, and doubted his eyes.

Mr. Katagi: "The pale color and nasal tube made me think that" death "was scary. I heard that it could be posted at a hospital and received treatment for cancer. If you see a patient or a family member, you may be upset by fear, are you thinking about that? "

Mr. Katagi has consulted over 6,500 parties and families.
Originally, he supported the Life Conference, but for posters, he created a protest that appealed to the patient and his family members who are currently receiving treatment, and posted it on the organization's website. I sent it to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

At the same time, on the SNS, people who had experienced cancer and medical professionals were beginning to complain of discomfort, such as "being involved in life or death" and "fearing fear".

How the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare perceived it

Shiho Shimada of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. I was in charge of promoting the "Life Conference" and checked the poster design and wording.

After reading the protest, I felt that I had not paid enough attention to patients and family members who were struggling with illness.On the night of the following day, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare decided to stop posting it on its website and distributing it to local governments on the night of the 26th. Was.

However, the enlightenment project, including posters and related events, was supposed to be taxed at more than 40 million yen, which was also criticized after the suspension was reported.

Mr. Shimada: Regarding the Life Conference, it was required that people who were not interested, such as young people, would be interested in it. So I created a poster and published it. The patient groups and intellectuals had been involved in the discussions in various processes, so I think it would have been better to listen to their opinions and take some more careful measures. "

Repercussions against repercussions

After that, things go unexpectedly. This time, voices saying "shouldn't have been stopped" were spreading, mainly on SNS.

"It's natural because we prioritize 'sticking' to those who aren't interested." "Honestly, I don't know what the problem is."

Some of these voices were raised by healthcare professionals with more than 50,000 followers and other prominent cancer actors.

Criminal emails flooded with Miho Katagi, who protested. The number is said to be over 100.

Katagi: "I also used provocative sentences and used emotional expressions, and I think there was a part that caused criticism. When I saw the poster, I just said," I have to decide how to die. " I felt a sense of danger when the message that misunderstood the essence of the life meeting spread, and I wanted to improve it.

What is a life meeting in the first place?

The "Life Conference" is based on a movement that started in the United States in the 1990s.

At that time, treatment for excessive life extension was regarded as a problem, and there was a growing demand for treatment in the form desired by the patient. What has spread is the "Advanced Directive" initiative, in which the desired treatment is determined in advance at the end of life and written down.

After that, however, issues such as "the decision can be changed even after a decision has been made" and "creating a document while energetic is a high hurdle" came to be pointed out.

The idea of ​​“advance care planning (sharing through discussions)” was born.

Rather than sticking to "decision," it is important to repeatedly discuss and share the values ​​you care about and the treatment and care you want with your family and healthcare professionals.

In order to make the name of this advanced care planning more friendly, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare broadly recruited nicknames, and the term "life conference" was born in November 2018.

A new movement

The riot on the SNS subsided after about 10 days. One month after its release, there is a growing movement to create new forms of information dissemination using posters as keywords.

This poster was created by an individual and sent on SNS. Visiting physician Hiroyuki Kotani posted a poster with an episode with a man he was involved in.

A man who was at home with his family while undergoing visit medical treatment for lung cancer. I usually talked to my family and Mr. Kotani, both sick and non-sick.

As the illness progresses and his physical strength declines, men are wondering whether to go to watch their daughter's softball game they have been looking forward to. However, the family and Mr. Kotani agreed, knowing that the symptoms could worsen. The men watched and cheered with a lot of smiles and powerful voices. The next day, I died at home.

Mr. Kotani says that he did not stick to “deciding on death,” but put the message “I don't have to decide, let's talk a lot” in my own poster.

Mr. Kotani: “When you are in the home healthcare setting, you realize that the form of a life meeting is different for each person. Someone does not decide that this is the case, for example,“ I do not want to have a life meeting Or "I want you to wait a little longer" should be respected, so it may be different from deciding with a single poster that "If you don't do this, it will be difficult." Each one has a different choice, so I thought it would be nice if each person had a different poster. ''

Mr. Kotani's posters resonate and are named "# posters for life conferences".

You can freely create posters by replacing photos and messages and post them on SNS with hashtags. More than 50 posters have been made just to confirm.

Spreading "# posters for life conferences"

"Digital Health Academic Conference" held in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo on December 22nd. At a place where new initiatives for healthcare utilizing digital technologies such as IT were announced, an exhibition was held with more than 20 posters made by various people.

A 31-year-old man studying public health at graduate school said, "I was surprised at the variety of views and opinions. Above all, I thought I would have a life meeting with my parents." .

Shiho Shimada who was involved in the production of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare poster. He said that he was surprised by the new form of communication that came out of the poster.

Mr. Shimada, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: “Everyone thinks on their own, rather than being told by the government. In the future, the government will consider and work with patients and healthcare professionals while listening to their opinions.”

"I don't have to decide, so let's talk a lot."

Japan is entering a super-aging society, which is unprecedented in the world, or, in other words, a multi-death society. This time, the uproar over the poster for the Life Conference was partly due to the fact that the views of death and life collided in the rapidly changing society.

How should it be in the final stages of life? It is really each person.

"I don't have to decide, so let's talk a lot."
This is the message that most touched my heart during this interview.

Through the turmoil over posters, the word “life conference” has spread ironically. How can it be connected to a better shape in the future?

Do you not talk a lot together?

Production Bureau Chief Director Mamoru Ichikawa