Keio Research Institute at SFC

* This laboratory has been completed.

Objectives

Some time has passed since preventative care, as part of overall healthcare, was named as one of modern medicine’s most important issues. Recently there has been a noted increase in the number of patients presenting with unidentified clinical syndromes, pre-sickness, and lifestyle diseases, all thought to be caused by changes in lifestyle and the environment. However, it is difficult to provide solutions for such illnesses when using the constraints of Western medicine, as it requires a definitive diagnosis prior to treatment. Moreover, although the social need for preventative medicine has existed, it has been left behind as no clear methodology has been established as of yet.
The aim of the East-West Life Science Innovation Laboratory is to integrate the methodologies of Japan’s traditional Chinese herbal medicine (Kampo) and Western medicine and, by merging this with an IT system, effectively utilize archived health and medical information of users so as to develop a pre-sickness diagnosis support system aimed at medical services, and a self-medication support system for general users. This would then be used to demonstrate and verify the benefits of such systems.

Outline of research plan (1st year)

• Launch a Kampo diagnosis support tool at medical institutions:
  Methodology will be developed so as to provide a Kampo diagnosis support tool (a support tool to be used to select the most appropriate herbal medicines based on a diagnostic interview, tongue examination and pulse diagnosis, all observations of the patient’s constitution) to medical institutions and physicians that have the opportunity to prescribe herbal medicine.
• Teaching clinic for overseas health service providers:
  A learning system will be developed to provide physicians from western countries, where there is a strong demand for Chinese herbal medicine, with Kampo diagnostic methodology, including diagnostic methods utilizing the diagnosis support system tool, along with developmental support which would include business and funding skills required when opening a Kampo clinic.
• Launch a Kampo herbal medicine selection support tool for pharmacies:
  A method will be developed so as to provide pharmacies and pharmacists with a tool to support appropriate Kampo selection.

Researchers, managers and professors