Holding a Regular Meeting with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)
December 25, 2024
The JPMA International Affairs Committee Europe & America Subcommittee holds regular meetings with European pharmaceutical organizations every year as part of its activities to cooperate with European and U.S. governments and pharmaceutical organizations to resolve international issues. The meeting was held on October 11 in person (plus online) with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) Vice-President Jun Manabe.
The meeting was preceded by a meeting with Mr. Patrick Vallance, Minister of Science, Research and Innovation, and a reception and parliamentary tour organized by the Japan Society, an organization whose main purpose is to strengthen friendly relations between Japan and the U.K. In the afternoon of October 11, the meeting was followed by a meeting with the Embassy of Japan in the U.K. During the meeting with Mr. Vallance, we confirmed that the UK and Japan have a strong commitment to IP protection and are partners in innovation creation, and that patient access to medicines is an important outcome of innovation. Vice President Manabe presented a position paper outlining business challenges for Japanese companies in the U.K. and expectations for the new government.
The meeting was attended by 23 participants from both sides, as well as online participants from the Japan Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Associations (JPMA) and several committees of the JPMA.
The following is a summary of the meeting.
Introduction
At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Clair Machin, ABPI Executive Director International Policy & UK Competitiveness, welcomed the participants and expressed his hope that the UK and Japan would continue to deepen their relationship as a constructive and important relationship where we share many positions and learn from each other, including IP protection. She also expressed her hope that the UK and Japan would continue to deepen their relationship as a constructive and important relationship where the two countries share many positions, including IP protection, and learn from each other. Mr. Manabe, Vice President of the ABPI, stated that while Japan and the UK are in an environment where innovation is promoted from the standpoint of IP protection, the UK is making progress in patient collaboration despite challenges in the commercial environment, and that they would like to cooperate with each other while learning from the new government's policies.
The ABPI gave a presentation on the new government's life science policy and the latest trends in patient collaboration.
From Japan, the NHI introduced the latest trends in NHI reimbursement, the government's efforts to strengthen drug discovery and eliminate drug lag/loss, and the Patient Cooperation Committee's presentation on the latest trends in patient collaboration.
Update on Japan pricing and reimbursement environment (JPMA)
Yasuyuki Tashiro, Insurance Drug Pricing Research Committee, Japan Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Associations (JPMA)
Dr. Tashiro introduced the latest trends in the NHI reimbursement system in Japan and government initiatives such as the Drug Discovery Ecosystem Summit to strengthen drug discovery capabilities and eliminate drug lag/loss. In the reform of the NHI drug price system in FY2024, the government is placing emphasis on the appropriate evaluation of innovation and strengthening drug discovery capabilities, and is considering the elimination of drug lag/loss as an industry action. The actions to be taken by the industry include (1) maintaining NHI prices for innovative new drugs during the patent period, (2) appropriately evaluating innovations when they are listed on the NHI drug price list, and (3) challenging the NHI price re-calculation rules. In general, he summarized Japan's 2024 NHI reform as positive overall.
In response to the government's commitment in July 2024 to strengthen drug discovery, JPMA introduced its efforts to "deliver new drugs to patients promptly," "become one of the world's major centers of drug discovery," and "build a social system that sustains a cycle of investment and innovation. The Q&A session was devoted to the authorities' efforts in systemic reforms.
During the Q&A session, the ABPI asked about the possibility of negotiating with the authorities for system reform, the status of innovation evaluation, initiatives for preventive medicine, and measures to ensure a stable supply. In Japan, he introduced that companies are obliged to have their employees undergo health checkups, that the public is highly health-conscious, and that access to testing is better than in the U.K. He also introduced the issue of stable supply of inventory. Regarding the issue of stable supply, he stated that the main reasons are the lack of visibility of inventory and the dependence on overseas suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
New UK Government priorities for Life Sciences (ABPI)
Colette Goldrick, Executive Director Corporate Affairs & Strategy
Dr. Colette Goldrick introduced the new administration, its five missions and her views on them, the reform of the National Health Service (NHS) including the improvement of the clinical trial environment, the implementation of the previous administration's Life Science Vision in the new government's life science policy as a pillar of economic growth, and the implementation of the new administration's Life Science Vision and disease prevention measures. The priorities of the new government's life science policy, which is the pillar of economic growth, included the implementation of the previous government's Life Science Vision and an emphasis on disease prevention measures.
During the Q&A session, participants exchanged opinions on the clinical trial environment in the U.K., the challenges of waiting periods before starting treatment for certain diseases, and the industry's perception of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) health technology assessment. The inequalities in access to healthcare, including the hesitancy to use new drugs in the NHS, and the inability to recover from the effects of Corona due to a severe shortage of healthcare professionals, were also discussed. He also introduced the background of the funding of drugs in the NHS, including the fact that although there is an agreement with the industry to return a portion of sales proceeds, this is not immediately linked to the prescribing of new drugs.
Patient Engagement - ABPI's recent activities (ABPI)
Amit Aggarwal, Executive Director Medical Affairs and Strategic Partnerships and guest speaker Nicola Perrin, Chief Executive Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
Guest speaker Nicola from the AMRC shared insights from the perspective of patient organizations (more broadly Charity Organizations in the UK) on the role of her organization and how it works with companies and other stakeholders as a patient organization. The AMRC is the umbrella organization for organizations that invest funds in medical research in the U.K., and serves as a bridge between the two, reflecting the voices of patients as well as funding.
In working with the ABPI, which represents industry, he commented positively that industry and patient groups share the same perspective on what is needed for patients, and that by working together they will be able to provide a more powerful voice.
Mr. Amit Aggarwal of the ABPI introduced the ABPI's efforts to engage patients and the public in healthcare, including the establishment of the Patient Advisory Council, which includes the voice of patients in ABPI leadership decision-making, and the Patient Advisory Forum (which has existed for about 20 years). The Patient Information Forum, of which ABPI is a member, is a "trusted resource" that provides "a forum for patients to share information and information about their health care needs. The Patient Information Forum, of which ABPI is a member, manages and operates an "accreditation system for organizations that disseminate trustworthy medical information," and ABPI has been granted accreditation status in consecutive years.
The ABPI also introduced that it provides guidance to patient groups to maintain transparency in funding, regardless of the size of the group, and that it actively supports the collaboration between JPMA and patient groups.
During the Q&A session, the panelists discussed how JPMA or individual companies in Japan should promote collaboration based on a more equal relationship and structure. However, it is necessary to focus on actual outcomes and keep a close eye on results and implementation, rather than saying "we did this and it is OK.
Regarding transparency in the collaboration between companies and patient groups, it was suggested that, first of all, the independence of patient groups should be respected and promoted, and that the involvement of patient groups should be promoted from an earlier stage in the process of drug discovery, clinical trials, medical technology evaluation, and drug price reimbursement, in order to avoid mutual conflicts of interest. In the U.K., the size and nature of patient groups are also a factor. Even in the UK, patient groups vary in size and nature, and the Corona Disaster has led to significant healthcare disparities among the population. He also shared the current trend of emphasizing diversity, inclusiveness, and reach-out, and the movement to listen to and understand the voices of all patient groups and patients as much as possible.
Update on Japan Patient Engagement (JPMA)
Kenji Misawa, Chairperson, Patient Cooperation Committee, JPMA
Mr. Misawa introduced the organizational structure, scope, and recent activities of the JPMA's Patient Cooperation Committee, including efforts to improve the capability of committee members by providing a summary of each stakeholder's activities related to PPI (Patient and Public Involvement), and the "Creation Society (a society that makes clinical trials accessible to all). The committee also shared its efforts to promote mutual understanding and collaboration with patient groups and other stakeholders through participation in such forums as the "Creating a society where clinical trials are accessible to all" and the "Pharmaceutical Visionary Meeting".
JPMA commented that they were impressed by the consistency and similarities with the activities of the ABPI, and that the phrases and expressions used in the presentation were very apt.
Concluding Remarks
Mr. Clair Machin, ABPI, expressed his appreciation for the lively discussion and thanked the participants for the deeper understanding that was achieved through the discussion. Mr. Hisashi Nakagaki, Vice Chairperson of the JPMA International Affairs Committee, expressed his appreciation for the exchange of views on the new British government's life science policy and patient collaboration, as well as his expectations for the future government and for more active exchanges between the two organizations.
In addition to the active exchange of opinions during each session and the deepening of mutual understanding between the two organizations, the visit to the UK was very fruitful and productive, with JPMA Vice Chair Manabe accompanying the delegation to meet with government officials and to present a position paper on the JPMA's position. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank JPG (Japanese Pharmaceutical Group), the Japanese life science industry association in the UK, which was indispensable in the preparation of these activities. We will continue to strive to deepen our relationship with them.
The next meeting is scheduled to be held in 2025.
(International Affairs Committee, Europe and America Subcommittee, Europe Group, UK Team)