Topics JPMA/PhRMA/EFPIA joint press conference held Proposals for the Formulation of "Framework Policy" and "Vision for the Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan

Then-Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PhRMA) Chairman Joji Nakayama, referring to the development of vaccines in various countries for new coronavirus infections, which has been ongoing since 2020, said, "Overseas, investment has been made in new technologies from the perspective of national defense, and we were able to respond quickly to the recent pandemic. In Japan, research on vaccines for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and other diseases was underway, but was frozen due to budget cuts. Efforts to deal with infectious diseases must be prepared from normal times. To this end, it is essential to review regulations and develop countermeasures," he stressed.

In addition, in light of the recent U.S. government endorsement of the "TRIPS Waiver" for the new coronavirus vaccine, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) reiterated its position, which differs from that of the U.S. government, and stated that the waiver "will not only not solve the shortage of the new coronavirus vaccine, but will also cause health hazards, etc." and that "the U.S. government should not be allowed to take any measures to prevent the spread of the disease. There are also concerns about health hazards and other problems. The pharmaceutical industry should continue to promote international cooperation in a manner that preserves intellectual property.

He also stated that the pharmaceutical industry is a "base industry" that supports people's lives and a "growth industry" that will drive the Japanese economy in the post-Corona era, and stressed the need for industrial policies that support growth. In the era of Society 5.0, he mentioned that "the life science field has great potential," and stated that it is necessary to establish health and medical big data, that Japan lags behind in the development of electronic medical records, etc., and that "digital transformation (DX) will improve the speed and success rate of research and development," and increase the efficiency of drug discovery. etc., efficiency of drug discovery will increase and costs will decrease. He also stated that "Digital Transformation (DX) will improve the speed and success rate of research and development and lower the cost of drug discovery.

He concluded his presentation by emphasizing that in order to make the Japanese pharmaceutical market a priority investment market for global companies, it is essential to have a drug price system that maintains the price of new drugs during the patent period as in developed countries in Europe and the United States, and that the value of new drugs is appropriately evaluated.

PhRMA

Mr. James Feliciano, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in Japan, then took the podium and stated, "Policies that promote innovation are essential, but Japanese policies are having a negative impact on investment in pharmaceuticals. Looking at R&D investment, it is going against the expanding global trend, and the competitiveness of the Japanese market will decline," he said. He went on to say, "We would like to see the introduction of transparent and predictable drug price calculation rules and the proper evaluation of new drugs. He also called for reform of the healthcare system to effectively allocate resources.

EFPIA Japan

Mr. Heike Prinz, President of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA Japan), took the podium at the end of the session. She pointed out that it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a balance between sustaining universal health coverage and promoting innovation, and mentioned that the declining growth and predictability of the Japanese market has made investment in Japan less of a priority. Concerned that more patients will not have access to innovative drugs in the future, he said that "Japan should continue to be a leading country in new drug development. To this end, he said, the R&D and regulatory environment must be improved. He suggested, for example, promoting the acceptance of international joint trial results, citing the example that it is not impossible to utilize clinical trial data from Asia. Finally, referring to the frequent changes in the system since 2016, he strongly appealed for "the predictability of the NHI drug price system to be ensured.