Japan's unapproved drug support center

The Unapproved Drugs Development Support Center (a tentative name for the new organization), which will support domestic research, development  and production of medicines that have not been approved for use in  Japan financially and technically, has now been formally established in  order to eliminate the so-called, "drug-lag," the Japan Pharmaceutical  Manufacturers Association announced. A project team to act on this  issue was convened earlier this year (Marketletter January 26).

The set up consists of 69 JPMA member companies. Fumimaro Takaku,  president of the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences and also of  the Jichi Medical School, has been appointed to the role of president of  the new Center. It has said that the JPMA is aiming to demonstrate the  manufacturers' efforts to eliminate the drug-lag as the producer-side an  attempt to introduce a new National Health Insurance drug pricing  system, or a drug price maintenance exception system.