REGULATORY

MHLW to Allow OTC Drugs to Match Prescription Doses under Specific Conditions

February 5, 2026
Japan’s health ministry will allow certain nonprescription oral drugs to match the dosage and administration of their prescription counterparts as long as specific conditions are met and no safety issues are identified. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW)…

To read the full story

REGULATORY

Japan’s cost-effectiveness assessment (CEA) panel has approved a revised handling policy for the CEA system for FY2026, with the health…

By Philip Carrigan

Let’s face it: in today’s world, changing jobs is a normal part of a successful career. But if it’s so normal, why does it feel so hard? For many people, the idea of leaving their current role brings a heavy…

By Tatsuya Otsuka

Japan’s leading pharmaceutical wholesalers are bracing for a second consecutive year of profit declines, underscoring the growing challenge of generating…

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

By Ken Yoshino

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

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

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

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