Generic drug volume in Japan rises to 18%

The share of generic medicines as part of Japan's total drugs bill has risen to 6.3% in 2008, up 0.8 points from the previous year, according to the latest Trend of Dispensing Fees 2008 report released by the Korosho, the country's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.  In terms of volume, however, the percentage was 18.0%, 1.9 points up, while the generic dispensing rate ' the number of prescriptions filled with at least one generic as a portion of the total - rose 3.0 points to 43.1%, the report noted.

In terms of therapeutic category for oral products, copy medicines saw the highest level of dispensing for vitamins, at 44.6%, followed by drugs for respiratory disease, 14.2%, and gastrointestinals, 9.9%.

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