REGULATORY

Japan Cabinet Approves Health Insurance Bill with OTC-Like Drug Charges

March 16, 2026
Japan’s Cabinet on March 13 approved a bill to revise the Health Insurance Act, paving the way for the introduction of charges on certain “OTC-like” prescription drugs under a new category of “partially non-insured medical care.” The framework — to…

To read the full story

Related Article

REGULATORY

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

By Shinya Sato

The launch of Elevidys has opened the door to gene therapy for DMD, but research into new treatments is already…

By Philip Carrigan

I recently sat down with one of the leading medical directors in Japan to discuss the critical evolution of the medical science liaison (MSL) role.The MSL has transformed from a scientific resource into a strategic partner essential for successful product…

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…