Drug Price Survey in Japan along with WHO/HAI core list ICIUM Second Conference Chiang Mai, Thailand, 30 Mar. 2004 Igarashi A, Tsutani K Dept. of Pharmacoeconomics Graduate School of Pharm. Sciences The University of Tokyo, Japan

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Drug Price Survey in Japanalong with WHO/HAI
core listICIUM Second ConferenceChiang Mai,
Thailand, 30 Mar. 2004Igarashi A, Tsutani K
Dept. of Pharmacoeconomics Graduate School of
Pharm. SciencesThe University of Tokyo, Japan
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Outline

• A comparative survey of drug prices on a global
  basis is needed for improving the affordability
  of essential drugs.
• What the situation in Japan?

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Information on medicines price in Japan

• Government set price (reimbursement price)
• revised every two year
• based on national survey (undisclosed)
• available on the booklet and web

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Background

• 17,000 items (2,700 chemical entities)
• 99 are covered by insurance
• 200 items only are not covered
• (disinfectants, nicotine pad,
• Viagra, and others)
• Separation of prescribing and dispensing
• 60 (being improved)

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Affordability of 30 essential drug in Japan
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A drug price survey using the standardized method
would produce reliable and comparable
information, but the need for information on
medicine prices is urgent. Other methods should
be developed.Therefore we developped
Conclusion
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Global atlas of drug pricedevelopment of portal
site for drug price
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http//dprice.umin.jp
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Issues to be discussed

• multi -language system
• (Asian language, others)
• Lack of standardization
• mostly, price the patients pays
• comparability in different currency
• exchange rate - link from web
• Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

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Issues to be discussed

• quick, but dirty
• better than nothing
• What is the purpose of this system ?