USA's PhRMA stresses need for Japanese health care system changes

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) unveiled a position paper entitled, "The Challenge and Benefits of Patient-centered Healthcare Reform in Japan," in Tokyo.

This focuses on four fields, including efficient medical finance through competition and choice, a high-quality health service, a research system to stimulate sustainable economic growth and a life-science industry to promote innovation. These are based on the foundation of "access to information and transparency in all aspects of health care," by pointing out that it is essential to reform every aspects of Japan's health care system to make it effective with high-quality and global standards.

The PhRMA paper pointed out several problems with the Japanese health care system and proposed some solutions for these.