The "Regular Meeting with the French Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Leem)" was held
Apr 24, 2025
The Europe & America Subcommittee of the JPMA International Affairs Committee holds regular meetings with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), the French Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Leem), and the German R&D Pharmaceutical Industry Association (vfa) every year as part of 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
Sachiko Nakagawa, Executive Director, JPMA International Affairs Committee
Mr. Leem Laurence Peyraut, General Director
At the beginning of the meeting, JPMA Managing Director Sachiko Nakagawa 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 longstanding cooperation with JPMA and stated that it is very important for France and Japan to continue to deepen their friendship in the midst of the recent geopolitical problems in many countries.
Impact on healthcare policy in France after new government
Public Affairs Director, Mr. 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 the government changes, it has created a roadmap and proposed to be a resilient organization.
PLFSS for 2025
General Director, Mr. Leem Laurence Peyraut
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
JPMA International Affairs Committee, Global Health Subcommittee
JPMA's efforts 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 Affairs Committee, JPMA
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 JPMA's advocacy activities in collaboration with the "Kotto Policy 2024", PhRMA, and EFPIA, as well as the government's commitments announced during the Drug Discovery Ecosystem Summit, were introduced. JPMA 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
Mr. Nobuo Murakami, Chairperson, International Affairs Committee, JPMA
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 Affairs Committee Chairperson 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.
Concluding 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.
(Mr. Masato Nagai, Team Leader, International Affairs Committee, Europe and America Subcommittee, Europe Group, Germany and France)