化学物質過敏症に対する科学と政策の役割

抄録

Due to chemical exposure, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) has become a severe problem. The mechanism of MCS, however, still needs to be clarified. This paper considers the role of science and policies regarding MCS. The Japanese government has taken measures to prevent and deal with MCS, such as setting guidelines for indoor chemical concentrations and registering the disease name for health insurance claims. However, since MCS patients have differing symptoms, a uniform policy is difficult to implement, so we must act with sympathy and empathy. MCS is no longer a rare disease; like hay fever, it can affect anyone. In the future, it is necessary to prevent patients from becoming severely ill and to prevent the occurrence of new MCS patients.