More Japanese moves to encourage generics

Japan's Chuikyo (Central Social Insurance Medical Council) has approved the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's plan to strongly urge  medical facilities and pharmacies to comply with the obligation to make  efforts to use generic drugs. This was stipulated in the medical  treatment rules for health insurance physicians and pharmacists under  the ministry's ordinance upon the changes of the 2008 medical fee  revision, through local health authorities because some physicians and  pharmacists are declining to use generic drugs, according to MHLW survey  data (Marketletter May 4).

In addition, the MHLW plans to call for insurers to provide the insured  with "a wish card for generic drugs," pamphlets/leaflets on generic  drugs, and for medical facilities to share the lists of copy products  which are stocked by pharmacies in their community. The MHLW will also  publish data on its examinations/tests for the quality of copy versions  if some concerns about the these are raised, deploy a specific panel for  promoting the use of generics, consisting of civil servants,  drugmakers, physicians, pharmacists and consumers in each prefecture  (already established in 29 regions), and to hold seminars on the  quality of copy medicines.