| ■ Japan plans generic drug incentives: ministry | 2007.12.15 |
| TOKYO (AFP) - Japan plans to offer financial incentives to pharmacists who dispense generic drugs, aiming to reduce the country's snowballing medical costs, an official said Thursday. Japan is one of the largest drug markets in the world, with 6.9 trillion yen (62.2 billion dollars) spent on medication in the fiscal year to March 2005, according to an official at the health ministry. The health ministry "has decided on a plan reviewing the whole medical service fee system for the next fiscal year" starting in April, the official said on customary condition of anonymity. Under the plan, pharmacists would receive preferential renumeration through Japan's national health programme if 30 percent or more of the drugs they dispense are generics, the official said. |