Corporate Citizenship
A Corporation must behave as a citizen of its host society, and can only survive through harmonious relationships with that society. SRL's duties, through its business activities, are to communicate with, and contribute positively to, its host society as a good corporate citizen.
Charitable Trust Clinical Pathology Research Foundation of Japan
The Charitable Trust Clinical Pathology Research Foundation of Japan was founded in 1989 to permanently support and sustain the research fostering activities of the Clinical Pathology Research Foundation of Japan. SRL contributed the core funds, originally ¥300 million (US$2,614 thousand), increased now to ¥400 million (US$3,486 thousand), jointly with Fujirebio, Inc. As a company in the medical care field committed to returning some of its profits to the community, SRL will continue to actively foster worthy research.
Cooperation for Bone Marrow Bank
AThe Japan Marrow Donor Program (JMDP) is a public welfare business led by the Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation under the supervision of the Ministry of Health with the cooperation of the Japanese Red Cross Society operating the Bone Marrow Data Centre at its Central Blood Centre where the compatibility of the HLA type of a prospective marrow donor(s) and the HLA type of a patient is checked. Meanwhile, the Japan Marrow Donor Foundation conducts bone marrow bank businesses other than those handled by the Bone Marrow Data Centre, acting as an intermediary between donors and recipients. SRL contributes in regard to the final verification testing which is conducted after the compatibility check conducted by the Central Blood Centre. This testing involves 18 items to check the health of the blood, HLA and infectious diseases, etc. In the case of a donor and HLA testing in the case of a recipient.
Blood Testing for the National Health and Nutrition Survey
In collaboration with prefectural health departments throughout Japan, SRL conducts blood testing for the National Nutrition survey which commenced in 1946 for the purposes of accurately understanding the state of health as well as nutrition conditions of the public and examining measures to improve the general health of the public. Blood testing was added to the survey in 1989. The blood test items are mainly related to diet and a total of seven items are checked, i.e. haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) count, total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cho), triglycerides (TG), total protein (TP) and blood sugar (BS; glucose). SRL reports the test results to health centres which then pass the information on to individual persons. SRL also reports the test results to prefectural health departments and, ultimately, to the Statistical Office of the Minister's Secretariat of the Ministry of Health using magnetic tape for computing.
Published the Reference Laboratory Ranges for Japanese Children
Under consignment from the Japan Public Health Association, SRL compiled and published the "Normal Range for Clinical Testing of Japanese Children" at the end of 1996. This data, the first such collection in the world, derived the normal range based on the blood test results of 50,000 healthy Japanese children from birth to 18 years. The data, covering 105 test items -- including cholesterol, calcium, vitamins, hormones, immunity and more -- is expected to be very useful for the diagnosis and treatment of sick children because, until this publication, there was no clearly indicated normal range established in the pediatrics field.
Supporting Eye Banks
Nearly 30,000 people lose their eyesight in Japan every year because of illness of the cornea. Meanwhile, only 1,500 cornea transplants a year are conducted because of the scarcity of donors. Eye banks throughout the country are conducting various activities to increase the number of cornea transplants. At the request of the Japan Eye Bank Association, SRL conducts consigned testing on behalf of some 50 eye banks in Japan in regard to infectious diseases of cornea donors prior to transplant to ensure the safety of such operation. As this test is required to be conducted quickly, SRL has established a special system to report back the test results on the day of testing.
Published the Japanese History of Clinical Testing
To commemorate its 30th anniversary, SRL published the "Japanese History of Clinical Testing" at the end of 2000 and distributed this book to medical institutions and libraries of medical colleges throughout Japan. Although there had been previous publications on the history of clinical testing, none of them had included the relevant issues. This time, the presentation of a comprehensive history covering all related issues of clinical testing was intended. The Compilation Committee led by Chairman Tadashi Kawai, Professor Emeritus of Jichi Medical School, and Deputy Chairman Yasuhiro Oba, Professor Emeritus of Kinki University, together with six other members representing academic societies and organizations closely related to clinical test was established in November, 1998. Almost two years after its initial inception and with contributions by 67 leading figures in various fields, the Japanese History of Clinical Testing (A4, 418 pages) was finally published at the end of 2000.
