TOPICS ON PHARMACY AND PHARMACISTS

a.Amendment of the Laws came into effect: April 1

In June 2006, the Medical Service Law and many other Laws were amended. Some of the amendments have come into effect since April 2007.

1.Information disclosure on community pharmacies [Pharmaceutical Affairs Law]

2.To ensure safety management system at community pharmacy [Pharmaceutical Affairs Law]

The owner of the community pharmacy is obliged to take measures necessary to ensure medical safety in pharmacy practice.

3.Some processes of dispensing are allowed to be implemented at patient’s home etc. [Pharmacists Law]

4.Community pharmacy is defined as one of medical care institutions, to be included within healthcare cooperation system in medical care plan [Medical Service Law]

5.Classification of OTC drugs [Pharmaceutical Affairs Law]

Each OTC drug should be classified into one of three categories, depending on the risk grade.

Before June 14, 2008

– Examination for persons engaged in selling OTC drugs

Before June 14, 2009

– To provide appropriate information on OTC drugs, depending on the risk grade

– To prepare for appropriate information and counsel service

– How to display and how to keep OTC drugs at community pharmacy

On September 1, 2007, the Amendment of Enforcement Regulations of Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law will come into effect, which allows a community pharmacy to transfer/receive narcotic pharmaceutical product to/from another.

In or after 2008, the Amendment about administrative punishment on pharmacists will come into effect.

b.The result of National License Examination: April

In April, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced successful applicant for National License Examination. 9,154 examinees, 952 more than last year, passed the examination, to register as pharmacist.

On the other hand, in recent years, the number of pharmacy schools has been increasing, which was 46 in 2002, 48 in April 2003, then 72 in April 2007. According to a survey, approximately 13,000 students have been accepted to schools of pharmacy in April 2007.

c.Pandemic of measles