Attitudes towards human fetal tissue research: Survey of researchers and the public in Japan

The rules for human fetal tissue (HFT) research in Japan are unclear. In this paper, we conducted a web survey to examine the attitudes of Japanese researchers (n=535) and the public (n=3,000) toward HFT research. The results demonstrated that 5.8% of researchers and 18.8% of the public explicitly opposed HFT research, and 71.8% of the researchers thought that the rules for HFT research need to be clarified. Even among researchers who intended to consider conducting HFT research, 74.2% responded that the rules should be clarified. Although different from attitudes to make decisions regarding HFT donation, being non-religious and in their reproductive age among women in the public group were factors for accepting attitudes toward HFT research. To establish the rules, it is necessary to develop a system that can adequately protect vulnerable women who are asked to provide HFT. •The rules for HFT research in Japan are unclear.•Web survey examined Japanese researchers' and public attitudes toward HFT research.•More public explicitly opposed HFT research than researchers.•Most researchers who intended to consider conducting HFT stated that the rules need clarification.