The healthcare supply chain in Japan, as in all major markets, consists of biopharmaceutical manufacturers selling to wholesalers who in turn sell to hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, where the drugs are finally dispensed to patients. Each party ideally contributes value…
BUSINESS
Big 4 Wholesalers Raided Again over Suspected Bid-Rigging
The Japan Fair Trade Commission (FTC) and a special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office raided four leading drug wholesalers on October 13 for allegedly colluding to rig drug prices in a bidding process initiated by the…
To read the full story
Related Article
- Mediceo Gets 6-Month Suspension from National Hospital Organization Bids
April 18, 2022
- Mediceo Dodged Charges and FTC Penalties, but Still Barred from JCHO Bids
April 12, 2022
- 3 Wholesalers Ordered to Pay 420 Million Yen in Surcharge over Bid-Rigging; JCHO to Suspend Mediceo Too
March 31, 2022
- FTC to Slap 3 Wholesalers with 420 Million Yen Surcharges over Bid-Rigging
February 7, 2022
- Guilty Rulings for 3 Wholesalers, Employees Now Final and Binding: Bid-Rigging Trial
July 19, 2021
- 3 Major Wholesalers, 7 Employees Found Guilty in Bid-Rigging Trial
July 2, 2021
- 300 Million Yen Fine Sought for Alfresa Too, Verdict on June 30: Bid-Rigging Trial
May 13, 2021
- 300 Million Yen Fine Sought for Toho Too, Court Decision Due June 2: Bid-Rigging Trial
April 30, 2021
- Prosecutors Seek 300 Million Yen Fine for Suzuken, Jail Terms for Employees: Bid-Rigging Trial
April 28, 2021
- 3 Indicted Wholesalers Barred from JCHO Bids for 2 Years: Bid-Rigging Scandal
December 14, 2020
- (Update) Criminal Charges Sought against 3 Wholesalers over Bid-Rigging, Mediceo Excluded
December 10, 2020
- Criminal Charges Sought against 3 Wholesalers over Bid-Rigging, Mediceo Excluded
December 9, 2020
- JPWA Raided Too over Big 4 Wholesalers’ Bid-Rigging Scandal
October 16, 2020
- Big 4 Wholesalers Now Suspected to Have Rigged Drug Prices in 2016 Too
October 14, 2020
- JCHO Hospitals to Switch from Joint to Separate Bidding for Drug Purchases after Bid-Rigging Scandal
May 21, 2020
- “Tender Process Needs to Be Improved” in Response to Bid-Rigging Scandal by Top 4 Wholesalers: Hospital Management Advisor
February 25, 2020
- MHLW Bureau Chief Says Delay Would Be Inevitable to Revise Drug Distribution Guidelines as Bid-Rigging Probe Continues
January 17, 2020
- Big 4 Wholesalers Faced Wrath of FTC for Allocating Priority Drug Categories before Bidding
December 6, 2019
- Wholesalers’ Bid-Rigging Scandal Might Have Been Exposed via Leniency Program, Further Cases Could Be Laid Bare: Lawyer
December 6, 2019
- Scandal-Hit JPWA Likely to Pass on Chuikyo’s Industry Hearing on Dec. 6
December 4, 2019
- Ryukaikon’s Dec. 9 Meeting Likely to Be Put Off in Wake of Bid-Rigging Scandal
December 3, 2019
- Stakeholders Rap Big 4 Wholesalers for Bid-Rigging Charges, Say Scandal Shutters Trust in Drug Price Surveys
November 29, 2019
- Big 4 Drug Wholesalers Raided on Bid-Rigging Charges
November 28, 2019
BUSINESS
- Xtandi Plus Leuprolide Meet PIII Goal in Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Astellas
March 20, 2023
- Takeda Updates Qdenga Peak Sales Estimate to US$1.6-2 Billion
March 17, 2023
- Fujifilm to Make Foray into Drug Discovery CRO Business
March 17, 2023
- Twymeeg No 1 in GP Promotion in January, Dayvigo Most Pitched for HP: Intage
March 17, 2023
- CSL R&D Head Touts Cost-Effectiveness of Hemophilia Gene Therapy Hemgenix
March 17, 2023
The health ministry’s key expert panel on February 15 agreed on the need to consolidate the Japanese generic sector to…
“Balance” seems to be the keyword for the next drug pricing reform in FY2024. Japan now appears ready to seek a better balance between evaluating innovative medicines and taking tough measures against companies dependent on long-listed products (LLPs) and generic…
A key Japanese reimbursement policy panel on December 16 approved the government-backed plan for the FY2023 “off-year” drug price revision.…
Authorized generic (AG) strategies taken by innovative drug makers might help soften the impact of generic competition in their businesses but such tactics might also accelerate the application of “G1”/“G2” price cuts for their off-patent brand-name medicines, a Jiho tally…
Japan’s health ministry announced new NHI prices to be applied in April under the FY2022 drug price revision in the official gazette on March 4, with the earlier application of so-called “G1” price cuts to be implemented for the first…