Generic drugs accounted for 18.7% of Japan's Rx market in 2007, says MHLW

Japan's generic drug market share increased from 16.8% on a volume basis and 5.9% by value of total prescription medicine sales, as at September 2005 to 18.7% and 6.4%, respectively, as of September 2007, according to the National Health Insurance drug price survey results released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare at the recent Chuikyo (the Central Social Insurance Medical Council) meeting.

In the meantime, although the market share of original products without generics available increased from 21.4% on a volume basis and 47.6% by value in 2005 to 22.1% and 48.3% in 2007, respectively, that for branded medicines with copies decreased slightly, from 34.9% on the volume basis and 35.4% by value to 34.6% and 34.8%, respectively, reports the Marketletter's correspondent.