With effect from December 1, 2016, the “Hydrogen Inhalation Medical Treatment” was applied to the Advanced Medical Treatment B designated by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). An advanced medical treatment is defined as the “Evaluation Recuperation” which can be implemented with other insured medical methods employed by the medical facilities which satisfy a required standard at the stage of MHLW’s assessment so that a new cutting-edge medical technology may be applied to insurance.

It means the stage of application to an actual patient stepping up from a clinical research. The cost is borne by the facilities and enterprises concerned, and patients are free from any payment for the portion of advanced medical treatment. The medical treatment is named “Hydrogen Gas Inhalation for Post Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients” for the indication of post cardiac arrest syndrome. The survival and rehabilitation rates of cardiopulmonary arrest patients of over 100 thousand/year in our country are so low as 12% and 8% respectively. Even if an effective resuscitation means is applied, no neurologic recovery may be attained due to post cardiac arrest syndrome in many cases.

The body temperature management therapy which is the only method now to recognize the effects is too expensive because of the required large scale and limited number of medical institution capable to offer. Therefore, it cannot be regarded to be adaptable extensively.

The hydrogen gas inhalation therapy on the other hand enables H2 mixed gas to be easily supplied safely by connecting oxygen from O2 cylinders or in-house pipelines with H2 added N2 cylinders. The possibility of extensive supply has been accepted. The medical treatment is applicable to the patients who remain in a coma even after return of spontaneous circulation out of the adult patients suffering post cardiac arrest syndrome. In ICU (intensive care unit) patients inhale 2% H2 added O2 for 18 hours with an artificial respirator. Hazardous phenomena are recorded for 72 hours from the start of inhalation for the assessment of safety. The assessment is conducted based on condition of neurologic outcome after 90 days.

The medical institution to implement this cutting-edge medical treatment is Keio University Hospital. There has been no pharmaceutical approval abroad on the medical treatment, namely Japan is the first runner. The “medical material and product” employed is a pre-mixed gas consisting of 4% H2 and 96% N2 supplied by Taiyo Nippon Sanso.