Japanese drugmakers' NHI plan comes under criticism from the Chuikyo

Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Associations of Japan expert panel members are studying financing and personnel requirements to form  an organization to promote the development of unapproved drugs and  indications as advantages for patients and the financial effects on  the nation's medical costs by promoting generic drugs. In return, they  would expect the introduction of a drug price maintenance special  exception system or one  for the price of new drugs to be maintained  during their patents' validity. However, several medical provider and  payer side members of the Expert Committee at the Central Social  Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo) criticized the FPMAJ's proposals at  a recent meeting.

Some Chuikyo panel members called on Akira Nagano, part of the industry  committee and a Daiichi Sankyo executive, to strictly define the new  drugs whose prices should be maintained during their patent protect  because they think the definitions of these are ambiguous.

Nobuo Yamamoto, vice president of the Japan Pharmaceutical Association,  pointed out that, although the new drugs whose prices should be  maintained under the new proposal account for an estimated about 50% of  the total listed, it is also said that there are fewer than 50%, so a  clear definition of these is needed.