Japan Patients To Pay Part Of Price Difference When Insisting On Branded Drugs

Conditions Apply As Generic Push Continues

07 Oct 2024

Japan has started to charge patients a portion of the difference between the reimbursement price of the generic and non-generic product if they insist on the latter without a supporting recommendation from the prescribing physician, in a policy designed to further drive generic use.

Japan aims to expand its generic share by charging extra for non-generic options. — Japan aims to expand its generic share by charging extra for non-generic options • Source: Shutterstock

Japan has long been implementing policies to raise the volume share of generic drugs to help control rising healthcare costs. From 1 October, the country has newly started to charge extra for non-generic pharmaceutical products, excluding biopharma drugs, under several conditions.

When receiving a prescribed drug, if a patient insists on a non-generic option without any specific medical reasons from the...