Japan Study Sees Price Gaps Widening

The Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations of Japan has found that in April 1994, following the National Health Insurance price revision, there were 685 products listed in the NHI Drug Price Reference Book with price gaps between brands, compared with 548 after the April 1993 revision. The study also found that price gaps were widening, reports Pharma Japan.

Price gaps appeared for the first time on 151 ingredients, and disappeared for 14 ingredients. Price gaps of more than 200% across the various brands were found for 202 ingredients. Price gaps were wider than in April 1993 for 378 ingredients, smaller for 91 and the same for 65.

Two different prices were listed for 488 ingredients, or 71% of all ingredients with price gaps, an increase of 56 ingredients on the 1993 figures, while three different prices were found for 56 ingredients, four for 24 ingredients and five prices for one ingredient.