Japanese National Hospitals To Double Generic Drug Use In Five Years
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Japan's national hospital systems will double current generic drug use in five years, according to a new policy that took effect April 1. The move aims to curtail growing medical costs by promoting generic drugs in large national and public hospitals. It also aims to change patient indifference to generic drugs. As of 2007, generic drug use accounted for 16 percent of total drugs used in the 145-hospital system; the new policy aims to increase that ratio to 30 percent by 2013. The new measure will mainly target inpatients as outpatients have their prescriptions filled elsewhere. (Click here for more - Japanese language