REGULATORY
    Bosulif, 4 Other Drugs Escape April Re-Pricing as “Spillover” Scrapped; Lixiana, Entresto Brace for Cuts
    January 19, 2026
    Five medicines that would previously have been swept into market expansion re-pricing under Japan’s so-called “spillover” rule will be excluded from such price reductions under the FY2026 drug pricing reform, following the abolition of the…

    LATEST

    Nobelpharma Launches Pediatric Sleep Aid Melatonin in China
    January 19, 2026
    Nobelpharma said on January 16 that its pediatric sleep aid melatonin, marketed in Japan as Melatobel granules 0.2%, is now available in China via a local partner.The product is approved for the treatment of sleep-onset…
    Chuikyo OKs New CEA Handling, with Third-Party Verification Ahead
    January 19, 2026
    Japan’s cost-effectiveness assessment (CEA) panel has approved a revised handling policy for the CEA system for FY2026, with the health ministry indicating that the planned six-month “technical discussions” will take the form of a third-party-style…
    Japan Panel to Review Pfizer’s Cancer Med Tukysa on January 29
    January 16, 2026
    Pfizer’s new cancer therapy tucatinib, sold overseas under the brand name of Tukysa, will come up for approval review by a key Japanese health ministry panel on January 29, along with a series of label…

    Chuikyo Debate on FY2026 Drug Pricing Reform

    Gist of FY2026 Drug Pricing Reform Outline

    The Central Social Insurance Medical Council, a key Japanese reimbursement policy panel better known as Chuikyo, approved an outline of…

    COMMENTARY

    Wave of “World Firsts” Looms as 47 New Drug Candidates Line Up for 2026
    By Shinya Sato

    As many as 47 new drug candidates are expected to win approval or secure NHI price listing in Japan in…

    COLUMN

    AI: Your New HR BFF (Not Your Replacement!)
    By Philip Carrigan

    Let’s ditch the stuffy jargon and talk about AI in HR like real humans.One of the biggest myths floating around is that AI is coming to steal our jobs. Newsflash: that’s not happening. Sure, AI can handle the boring stuff…

    Drug Approval & Reimbursement in 2025

    Chuikyo OKs Listing of Novartis’ Pluvicto, Peak Sales Outlook at 42.1 Billion Yen

    Japan’s Central Social Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo) on November 5 approved the reimbursement listing for a slate of new medicines,…

    Chuikyo Debate on Off-Year Drug Price Revisions

    MHLW Unveils New List Prices for FY2025 Revision; Stelara, Januvia Hit by PMP Return
    By Ken Yoshino

    The Japanese government on March 7 announced new NHI prices to be applied in the FY2025 drug price revision, revealing…

    Discussions on Next PMD Act Amendment

    Japan Cabinet Approves Bill to Amend PMD Act

    The Japanese government approved a bill to amend the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (PMD) Act at its Cabinet meeting on…

    Drug Approval & Reimbursement in 2024

    Japan Approves Zepbound, Qalsody, and Lots More Drugs

    Japan’s health ministry doled out regulatory approvals for a throng of new medicines on December 27 including Eli Lilly’s obesity…

    Chuikyo on FY2024 Reimbursement Reform

    Chuikyo OKs Outline of FY2024 Drug Pricing Reform; No Unprofitability Re-Pricing for 7%-Plus Price Gap

    Japan’s all-important reimbursement policy panel on December 20 approved an outline of drug pricing reforms for FY2024, which enshrines a…

    NEWS CATEGORY

    REGULATORY

    BUSINESS

    ORGANIZATION

    ACADEMIA