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| Endoscopes are indispensable to Olympus for today’s medical fronts. Olympus has maintained about 70% of the world’s sale of digestive endoscopes for many years. In this fact lie the basics of the Company’s CSR: Olympus will realize the sustainable growth of its business by contributing to society and fulfilling its social responsibility. Haruhito Morishima, who became president of Olympus Medical Systems Corp. in April 2005, gave an interview on CSR in the medical business (interviewer: Hiroyuki Otake; writer: Shoji Ozawa).customers, |
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| Mr. Morishima recalls his first encounter with an endoscope with deep regret when he lost his father. “My father died of esophageal cancer when I was a college sophomore. The attending physician told me that a new device called an endoscope was recently introduced and that if it had been used in his medical checkup, the cancer could have been detected at an earlier stage and he could have been saved.” |
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| At that time, Olympus had started marketing esophageal endoscopes three years earlier. Mr. Morishima made up his mind to engage in work that contributes to society and decided to join Olympus. “I joined Olympus, determined to be involved in endoscopes, and I’ve been with it for 35 years. What a happy life I lead!” |
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| The endoscope, which significantly promoted the advancement of diagnostic and treatment skills and techniques, is a great contributor to the advancement of medicine, as evidenced by the following comment that is often heard: if the person who invented the endoscope is identified, he or she would win a Nobel Prize. The endoscopic technology of Olympus has had a long history of contributions and advancements; Olympus has always been with doctors who were active in the front lines of medicine since the days of the gastro-camera. The world’s largest share in the field of endoscopy was just a result of Olympus’ strenuous efforts. |
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| “In Japan, the rate of stomach cancer deaths is declining, and I am certain that the endoscope is responsible for it to some extent.” |
Haruhito Morishima
President of Olympus
Medical Systems Corp. |
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| The widespread practice of endoscopy will help detect diseases much earlier, and endoscopy can help remove cancerous cells then and there if detected at an early stage, making abdominal operations unnecessary. With the development of the image diagnostic technique, doctors can find very small cancerous growths, as small as about 1 mm in diameter, which was previously beyond detection. |
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| “Endoscopes are now used for not only diagnosis but also surgical treatment. Take cholecystectomies in advanced countries, for instance. More than 80% are done with an endoscope. It reduces the burden placed on the patient and helps shorten the hospitalization period. It helps reduce medical cost.” Endoscopes help reduce the rate of death as well as improve the quality of life in patients. |
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| The very start of Olympus’ endoscope business was a response to a doctor asking if it was possible to take a picture of the inside of a stomach. Nobody believed it was possible back then. With the viability of doing it as a business being questioned, Olympus remained serious in its commitment, and that perseverance finally paid off, according to Mr. Morishima. “This field needs the joint efforts of the industry and academia. We are not medical doctors, so we listen to what doctors have to say and return with proposals from our technical staff. Next, the doctors give us their opinions and comments on how to improve our equipment, which are then incorporated at our technological development or product improvement stage. This entire process is repeated, which helped both Olympus and the medical people nurture mutual trust. And now here we are.” |
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Endoscopic Video Information
System “EVIS LUCERA” |
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| Olympus’ optical technology lives in its endoscopic technology. Olympus is committed to image quality. “As an optical manufacturer, Olympus aims at providing excellent image quality, enough to ensure practical diagnosis. And that is the key to the early detection of diseases.” |
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| Endoscopes are being used in a wider range of applications, from diagnosis to treatment. Olympus develops new treatment tools jointly with doctors. “The primary social contribution of Olympus as the No. 1 endoscope manufacturer is the continuous manufacturing of products that have high levels of safety, security, and medical economic efficiency. I believe our efforts to continue providing the medical front line with state-of-the-art technology that matches their needs will eventually result in our fulfillment of CSR.” |
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| Manufacturing high-quality products is not the only field Olympus is active in terms of social contribution. In 1990, Olympus set up the Endoscopy Masters’ Forum, a world conference of front line medical doctors engaged in endoscopic treatment, to find and create new and advanced applications of endoscopes together with medical doctors. In addition, Olympus supports the World Gastroenterology Organization and World Organization of Digestive Endoscopy as part of its social contributions. Through these two organizations, Olympus donates endoscopes to medical institutes in developing countries, provided that the recipient institute has an appropriate environment where the donated endoscope can be properly used and their doctors can learn to properly use it. “You can only spread the use of endoscopes by training doctors how to use them. We therefore work together with organizations that support the development of doctors who are to become leaders in the operation of endoscopes and teaching them how to use the equipment.” |
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| Moreover, Olympus is actively cooperating in launching campaigns in the United States and other countries, calling for endoscopic examinations to help the early detection of colon cancer. |
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| In the area of the environment, Olympus aims at realizing Zero emissions. To be specific, Olympus Medical Systems successfully reduced landfill waste after intermediate treatment to below 1% of total emissions at all its endoscope plants. In addition, the Environmentally Conscious Design Standard was created to help produce Eco-products. “For our environmental efforts, our idea is to set stringent criteria in the beginning and do our very best to match that criteria.” |
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| Gastrointestinal Videoscope |
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| Olympus never fails to forget the basics. Olympus regularly reeducates its employees so that they fully understand the importance of rapport with customers. “The endoscope business is our pride. That is why every one of us needs to be a better person. I want all our employees to try harder to get the job done with a lot of ambition in order to create the most reliable brand.” |
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| Mr. Morishima expects the joint work with doctors in surgery and internal medicine to begin in the area of endoscopic treatment in the future. “I hope we can help them successfully combine their joint efforts. Our strength is what we have achieved so far, including comprehensive endoscopic technologies, by ensuring communication between developing staff and medical doctors. This is one of the key factors that have made us a leader in the endoscope field.” |
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