Japan postpones annual NHI revisions?

Japan's introduction of the once-yearly National Health Insurance drug price revision is likely to be postponed until fiscal 2008 at the earliest after discussions within the Chuikyo (the Council of Central Social Medical Insurance) late October, even though the latter has decided to make a final decision on whether the frequent revision will be introduced in fiscal 2007 or not at its next meeting in November (Marketletters passim).

Hisao Endo, chairman of the Chuikyo's expert committee on NHI drug prices, and a professor at the Faculty of Economics, Gakushuin University, stated that, at the next meeting, the panel wished to summarize the discussions on the annual revision that resulted from hearings with the pharmaceutical industry.

Akira Nagano, a member of the expert committee on NHI drug price and managing director of Daiichi Pharmaceutical, wants the Chuikyo's next meeting to take on board the industry's requirements which had been explained during the hearings and to reflect these.