Examples of Initiatives by Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Associations
Public relations activities to promote the development of new antimicrobial agents (industry-academia-government collaboration)
Nikkei-FT Infectious Disease Conference
The AMR Subcommittee was established in 2019 as a part of the Nikkei-Asia and Africa Medical Innovation Consortium (AMIC), a group of volunteers from the Nikkei-FT Infectious Diseases Conference who plan and implement Public Private Partnership (P3, public-private cooperation) projects throughout the year. The Subcommittee is jointly organized by Nikkei and the AMR Alliance Japan (Secretariat: Japan Health Policy Organization) with the aim of proposing effective industrial policies that will lead to sustainable research and development of antimicrobial agents, and holds discussions with stakeholders from industry, academia, and the private sector. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) participates in the activities of the AMR Subcommittee as a member of the AMR Alliance Japan.
The 12th Nikkei-FT Conference on Infectious Diseases
AMED Antimicrobial Agents Industry-Academia-Government Liaison Group
This liaison committee was established in September 2018 within the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) to discuss future strategic approaches in the field of infectious diseases and to further promote industry-academia-government collaboration in the field of infectious diseases through these efforts. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) participates in the Liaison Committee as a representative of related pharmaceutical companies in order to exchange opinions with AMED and related academic societies (the Japanese Society of Infectious Diseases and the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy) on medical needs in the field of infectious diseases and development trends among pharmaceutical companies.
Initiatives with AMR Alliance Japan
As domestic and international interest in AMR grows, the Japan Health Policy Institute, which has been holding expert meetings on AMR since 2016, has decided that it is necessary to create an independent platform for multi-stakeholder discussions on AMR and establish a collaborative system that can influence AMR policy. The JHPS has decided that it is necessary to create an independent platform for multi-stakeholder discussions on AMR and establish a collaborative structure to influence AMR policy. In November 2018, in collaboration with eight domestic societies related to infectious diseases, the Japan Health Policy Institute established the multi-stakeholder AMR Alliance Japan with the aim of improving public health through the promotion of AMR measures.
As a member of the AMR Alliance Japan, the Pharmaceutical Cooperative Society contributes to the advancement of AMR policy and the concrete implementation of measures.
Nikkei Asia-Africa Medical Innovation Consortium (AMIC) AMR Subcommittee Activities
The AMR Subcommittee was established in 2019 as part of the Nikkei-Asia and Africa Medical Innovation Consortium (AMIC), a group of volunteers from the Nikkei-FT Infectious Diseases Conference who plan and implement Public Private Partnership (P3, public-private collaboration) projects throughout the year. The Subcommittee is jointly organized by Nikkei and the AMR Alliance Japan (Secretariat: Japan Health Policy Organization) with the aim of proposing effective industrial policies that will lead to sustainable research and development of antimicrobial agents, and holds discussions with stakeholders from industry, government, academia, and the private sector. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) participates in the activities of the AMR Subcommittee as a member of the AMR Alliance Japan.
Drug Resistance (AMR) Action Fund
The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Fund was established in July 2020 by more than 20 leading biopharmaceutical companies as a groundbreaking initiative aiming to commercialize and deliver two to four new antimicrobial agents to patients by 2030. The fund is an initiative of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), and as an IFPMA member organization, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PAPJ) is contributing to the establishment of the fund and promoting advocacy activities.
Media Forum
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) holds media forums for the media as part of its activities to promote public understanding of AMR-related issues and countermeasures.
Seminars
Seminar on 2021 AMR Preparedness Index (June 14, 2023)
In the Global Health Subcommittee of the International Committee of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan, On the occasion of a visit to Japan by Michel Hodin, CEO of the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), a seminar on the 2021 AMR Preparedness Index was held.
The GCOA is also keenly interested in the issue of drug resistance (AMR), and has established the AMR Preparedness Index to evaluate the status of AMR countermeasures in each country, with the first evaluation results to be released in 2021.GCOA-AMR-Preparedness-Index
Mr. Hodin, CEO, introduced the Index, which is currently undergoing its second round of evaluation.
In Japan, where the Action Plan for AMR Control 2023-2027 has been decided, we believe that this kind of Index is important in order to promote the steady implementation of this plan.
The presentation materials of the day are available atClick here.
Drug Resistance (AMR) Seminar: History and Current Status of Countermeasures to Combat Infectious Diseases - Learning from Semmelweis - Held (November 22, 2019)
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), together with the Japan Medical Association, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), and the Japan Health Policy Institute (JHPI), held a seminar on the history and current status of infectious disease countermeasures and antimicrobial drug development, focusing on drug resistance (AMR) as a social issue that must be addressed urgently. The seminar is designed to deepen understanding of AMR among the general public, healthcare professionals, and government officials.
Surveys
Research report on the issue of drug-resistant bacteria
June 2025Report on the Drug Resistance Issue:
The results of a survey on the seriousness of the AMR problem and the importance of new antimicrobial agents and recommendations for the introduction of pull-type incentives in Japan are presented.
Survey Report on the Issue of Drug Resistant Bacteria
A summary of the report is also available below.
Two physicians involved in cancer treatment talk about the current situation and issues.
Survey on Sei-katsu-sha Attitudes toward Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Industry
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) conducts the "Survey on Sei-katsu-sha Awareness of Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Industry" to ascertain sei-katsu-sha understanding and awareness of ethical drugs and the pharmaceutical industry, and to provide basic data for the implementation of PMAJ's PR activities.
The results of the 18th survey conducted in 2024 show that 9.3% of respondents were aware of AMR, 18.0% had seen or heard of it, and 72.7% had never seen or heard of it. The proportion of respondents who were "not aware of it but think it is an important issue" was 37.4%, while 9.2% said they "do not feel it is an issue close to home" and 33.4% said they "do not know much about it.
Survey on Promotion of Development of New Antimicrobial Agents to Combat Drug Resistance
The results of the survey on attitudes toward AMR and antimicrobial drug development are available for viewing. The survey will continue over the next few years and will be reflected in AMR advocacy.
Survey on the general public's awareness of AMR
Awareness survey on physicians
Survey of Awareness at Insurance Pharmacies
November 2019 -Results of a survey on the public's awareness of AMR after viewing the "STOP AMR" awareness video.
With the cooperation of QOL Pharmacy, we conducted a questionnaire survey on the awareness of AMR and the effectiveness of this video in promoting AMR measures among viewers during the AMR measures promotion month (November 1-30) by playing the "Stop AMR" educational video produced by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association at QOL Pharmacy outlets nationwide. About 60% of the respondents answered that they had never heard of AMR before, and more than half of them answered that their understanding of AMR had been deepened by watching the video. The results of this survey were orally presented at the 69th East Japan Regional Meeting of the Japanese Society of Infectious Diseases and the 67th East Japan Branch Meeting of the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy held in October 2020.
Expansion