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Japan’s Drug Distribution Crisis: Pharma Urges Govt To Reform Pricing System

Low Prices Seen Part Of Wider Problem

 
• By Lisa Takagi

The impact of drug shortages in Japan, including of essential products, is being considered as part of government-level discussions to consider the appropriateness of the current reimbursement pricing system. Amid rising production costs and wider global challenges, some experts in the industry are now asking for price increases.

Japanese pharmaceutical firms and associations have urged the government to reform the pricing review system in recent discussion
Japanese pharma industry urges government to reform pricing system to ensure stable supplies • Source: Shutterstock

The Japanese government is continuing to discuss how to stabilize the domestic supply of drugs, which has now been affected by multiple factors for several years.

Both internal and external elements, such as the country’s "generic crisis" and more frequent drug pricing reviews and cuts, along with rising distribution costs triggered by the Ukraine crisis, are...

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