From JPMA At the Beginning of the Year 2024
At the beginning of the year 2024, I would like to extend my best wishes for the New Year.
Looking back on the year 2023, the long-running Corona disaster is now under control, and the city is once again bustling with activity. People and goods have resumed coming and going, and the economy is headed for a reversal of growth.
At the same time, however, the economy was hit by a series of events that put a damper on the economy, including the ongoing depreciation of the yen, the extremely hot summer, soaring prices, and labor shortages. The supply uncertainty of pharmaceuticals, triggered by the scandals of some companies, has been prolonged, coupled with disruptions in the supply chain and an increase in the cost ratio of pharmaceuticals. On behalf of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), I would like to express our deepest apologies for the inconvenience and concern this has caused to patients and healthcare professionals. At the same time, I would like to express my gratitude to all those who are making efforts to maintain medical care despite the difficulties.
Looking at the world, we have seen the ongoing war in Ukraine and Israel, economic problems such as the economic slowdown in China and soaring prices worldwide, and the U.S. presidential election in 2024, which is expected to shift the political power map.
Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
Chairman Hiroaki Ueno
We, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ), are committed to building a strong supply chain to solve the current supply problems. Even under difficult circumstances, we must contribute to the extension of healthy life expectancy of the people and deliver drug discovery innovations to the world. Each company will do its utmost to address these issues.
In order for pharmaceutical companies to continuously create innovative drugs, a drug price system that appropriately evaluates innovation is necessary. However, with the introduction of a system in which NHI prices for innovative new drugs are not necessarily maintained under the 2018 overhaul of the NHI drug price system, and with NHI price revisions being made every year, the Japanese pharmaceutical industry has become exhausted and the attractiveness of the Japanese market in the global market has gradually eroded. As a result, the introduction of useful drugs into Japan has been delayed or not even developed, creating a "drug lag" or "drug loss.
In order to overcome this situation, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) has been advocating the need for a NHI drug price system in which innovation is appropriately evaluated. As a result, the promotion of pharmaceutical innovation was included in the government's Framework Policy. In the 2024 reform of the NHI drug price system, it is expected that a system will be introduced to evaluate the early introduction of innovative new drugs into Japan and to fully maintain NHI drug prices through an additional subsidy for new drug creation, etc. The details of this reform are currently being finalized. This is an indication of the high expectations that the government and the public have for the pharmaceutical industry, and I feel a sense of urgency that the industry must work together to meet these expectations.
The year 2024 is a milestone year for the triple revision of medical, long-term care, and disability welfare services, and the medical industry will face many challenges, including the aging of the population, post-coronary, rising labor costs, and rising utility costs. There is also the 2024 issue of logistics and the beginning of overtime regulations for physicians. On the other hand, 2024 is also a milestone year for the digitalization of healthcare, and online eligibility verification, data linkage of medical and nursing care, and institutional development of programmed medical devices will be introduced and implemented one after another. For us, digital technology offers a variety of possibilities, including its use in drug discovery, streamlining of distribution, and utilization of medical data. We must utilize digital technology to build a more efficient healthcare system and solve many challenges.
As the need to evaluate innovation is reaffirmed and the way in which pharmaceuticals are evaluated is reviewed, we will work to improve the public's access to new drugs and establish a stable supply. We will also strengthen cooperation with related organizations to create world-class new drugs and contribute to the development of the pharmaceutical industry and the improvement of the public's health.
I would like to conclude my New Year's greetings by wishing you all a wonderful year in 2024.
(From the New Year's New Year's letter of the Honmachi Press Association)
Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA)
Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA)
Founded in 1968, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) is a voluntary association of R&D-oriented pharmaceutical companies that has contributed to global healthcare through the development of innovative new ethical drugs under the motto "Realization of Patient Participatory Medicine".
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) is engaged in a multifaceted program of activities to solve various problems common to the pharmaceutical industry, to deepen understanding of pharmaceuticals, and to promote international collaboration. In addition, we are committed to the sound development of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly by strengthening our policy formulation and advocacy activities, addressing internationalization, and reinforcing our public relations system.
Aiming to contribute to society through the development of new drugs Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association