Held a regular meeting with the French Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Leem).
Apr 24, 2025
The European and American Subcommittees of the International Committee of the Pharmaceutical Association of Japan (IPAJ) hold annual meetings with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), the French Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (Leem), and the German Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Industry (vfa) as part of their activities to resolve international issues in cooperation with governments and pharmaceutical organizations in Europe and North America. The meeting was recently held with the French Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry. The recent regular meeting with the French Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Leem) was held in an online format on March 13, 2025. Although the meeting was delayed by half a year due to the change of government in France in 2024, we had a more active exchange of views than in previous years.
Scene of the online meeting
Opening Remarks
Shoko Nakagawa, Executive Director, International Committee, Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA)
Mr. Leem Laurence Peyraut, General Director
At the beginning of the meeting, Ms. Sachiko Nakagawa, Executive Director of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), expressed her hope that the regular meeting with Leem, now in its 30th year, will continue to strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two organizations.
Laurence Peyraut, General Director of Leem, expressed his gratitude for the long-standing cooperation between the two organizations and stated that it is very important for France and Japan to continue to deepen their relationship amidst the recent geopolitical problems in many countries.
Impact on healthcare policy in France after new government
Public Affairs Director, Leem Laurent Gainza
He introduced the political system in France, including the semi-presidential and bicameral system, the political situation in 2024, including the change of four Ministers of Health and the fact that no party has won an absolute majority, as well as the main challenges of François Bayle's government. Leem's priorities for addressing this situation were also shared.
During the Q&A session, a question was asked about what kind of lobbying was done due to the sudden change of government. Leem responded that each time there was a change of government, a roadmap was created and proposed as a resilient organization.
PLFSS for 2025
Mr. Leem Laurence Peyraut, General Director
The Social Security Financing Act of 2025 was explained, and an overview of the bill and Leem's efforts to get the bill enacted was presented. During the discussion, the need for reform of the clawback system to minimize its impact on company profits and the need for companies and the government to work together to review the drug regulatory system were discussed, as the recent political unrest in France makes it difficult to predict future policies.
Sharing experiences on the preparation of the G7
International Affairs Manager, Leem Caroline Allheily
The efforts of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) in preparation for the G7 Hiroshima Summit to be held in Japan in 2023 were introduced. Taking into account the priorities of the Japanese government and the historical background, he reported that the three pillars of the proposal were UHC, pandemic preparedness, and drug resistance (AMR) countermeasures, and that the content of the proposal was reflected in the Communiqué of the Minister of Health. The importance of collaboration with IFPMA and dialogue with the Japanese government before the health agenda is decided was emphasized in preparation for the meeting.
Geopolitical context and the position of Leem & JPMA, particularly on US announcements on tariffs
International Affairs Manager, Leem Caroline Allheily
Mr. Fabrice Meillier, European International Public Affairs Manager, Leem
Shinichiro Awamura, Group Leader, North America Group, Europe and North America Subcommittee, International Committee, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan
After Mr. Fabrice Meillier and Ms. Caroline Allheily expressed their concerns about the geopolitical risks associated with the Trump administration and its tariff imposition policy, Group Leader Shinichiro Awamura explained his understanding of the current situation based on information obtained during his visit to the US. During the discussion, participants exchanged opinions on specific issues that would arise if tariffs were actually imposed on pharmaceutical products and possible responses.
Recent movement to promote innovation in Japan
Discussion on Price & Reimbursement
Mr. Yoshitaka Kusakai, Insurance Drug Pricing Research Committee, Japan Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Associations
The presentation included trends and issues related to the promotion of innovation in Japan, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association's (PMA) advocacy activities in collaboration with the "Kotta Policy 2024", PhRMA, and EFPIA, and the government's commitments announced during the Drug Discovery Ecosystem Summit. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) welcomed the positive changes in government policy to ensure that the pharmaceutical industry continues to grow as a key industry in Japan, and confirmed that it will continue to propose solid measures to increase investment in Japan.
Closing Remarks
General Director, Leem Laurence Peyraut
Nobuo Murakami, Chairman, International Committee, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan
Mr. Laurence Peyraut, Leem General Director, expressed his gratitude for the quality exchange of views on the highly important agenda. She also mentioned that she would like to hold the next meeting face to face, and expressed her hope for more opportunities for discussion in Geneva and at IFPMA. International Committee Chairman Nobuo Murakami expressed his appreciation for the very valuable insights gained during this regular meeting, and noted that collaboration with other industry associations can provide clues to solving many problems, including geopolitical issues.
Closing Remarks
The meeting ended on a friendly note, with agreement that the next meeting would be an opportunity to discuss the issues face to face.
(Masato Nagai, Team Leader, Europe Group, Germany-France Team, Europe and America Subcommittee, International Committee)