title: Regulatory organizations for physicians' status and administrative sanctions on physicians: - examining the framework of government administrative systems for physicians in Japan based on a questionnaire survey conducted on 13 national medical associations.
abstract: Society bestows professional privilege on physicians. At the same time, it expects physicians to strive constantly to improve their ethics and quality in medical expertise. In every nation, some level of government is responsible for certifying or licensing physicians and imposes strict management, including revoking licenses from inappropriate physicians or providing severe sanctions for misconduct or conduct unbecoming of a physician. In reality, however, it is difficult to reduce the number of inappropriate or indiscreet physicians, and each nation faces its own challenges. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 13 national medical associations, including some major Western countries, regarding the licensing of physicians, the organizations managing their medical practice status, and the data and grounds for administrative sanctioning of physicians. We then examined the circumstances in Japan based on the survey results and pointed out the domestic issues.
authors.affiliation: Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo; Advisor, Japan Medical Association, Tokyo, Japan ( jmaintl@po.med.or.jp ).
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.affiliation: Professor of Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: Legal Advisor, Japan Medical Association, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuroyanagi
authors.affiliation: Research Fellow, Tokyo Foundation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nudeshima
keywords: Administrative sanctions; Global situation; Physician’s license and management organization