The Growing "Drug Loss" Problem in Japan: Towards Strengthening New Drug Development
In recent years, the issue of "drug loss" has been attracting significant attention in Japan. Drug loss refers to a situation where new drugs approved overseas are not immediately available for use in Japan. To improve this situation, the government, private companies, and universities have begun collaborating to explore ways to strengthen the country's capacity for drug discovery and development.
The main reasons for drug loss include the time-consuming procedures required for overseas pharmaceutical companies to sell new drugs in Japan, as well as the difficulties associated with conducting clinical trials within the country. When new drugs are unavailable in Japan, patients are unable to receive the latest treatments developed abroad, which results in significant disadvantages to their health.
To address this challenge, industry, government, and academia are working together to create an environment that makes Japan a more attractive choice for "multiregional clinical trials." Multiregional clinical trials involve testing the same drug simultaneously in multiple countries around the world. By doing this, it is hoped that new drugs will become available in Japan at the same time as they are in other countries.
Moving forward, it will be crucial to establish a framework that allows Japan's medical institutions to become globally trusted hubs for clinical trials. For the sake of patients who need new medications, all eyes are on how Japan will define its role within the international drug development network.