REGULATORY

Japan to Downgrade COVID-19 Status to Seasonal Flu Level This Spring

January 23, 2023

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The Japanese government has decided to downgrade the severity status of COVID-19 to the same level as seasonal flu as early as this spring, easing indoor mask-wearing rules and reviewing the public cost-sharing of vaccinations. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on…

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REGULATORY

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Chuikyo Debate on FY2026 Drug Pricing Reform

Chuikyo Backs Draft FY2026 Pricing Reform Outline, Rejects Key Industry Requests

By Takashi Ebisawa

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) on December 12 presented a draft outline of the FY2026 drug pricing…

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…

COMMENTARY

Radioligand Therapy Faces Capacity Bottleneck in Japan, System Build-Out Needed to Deliver on Promise

By Koji Shimomura

Novartis’ Pluvicto (lutetium vipivotide tetraxetan (177Lu)) won reimbursement listing in Japan in November as a radioligand therapy (RLT) for PSMA-positive…