Bioethics and health care in industrial society

Due to rapid development, industrial societies must now make a fresh start based on a new idea of society which will enable them to survive the fast approaching 21st century. In this situation, health problems must be dealt with not only by medical science but also by research in other areas such as economics and technology. In fact, we are now in a situation in which problems of health and health care can no longer be solved without cooperation from these other research areas. What is most necessary is a new ethical standard. This can be developed through ideas based on a system of bioethics in which Occidental humanism and Oriental humanism are combined to a substantial degree. I believe that the establishment of this type of bioethics can lead to the successful institutionalization of health, health care and welfare for the 21st century.