Country Report 2011 – JAPAN

Section 1: Current Issues (e.g. health care policy, pharmacy law, private or government insurance benefits)

1.

March 2011   Great East Japan Earthquake

Please see Annex 1.

2.

Topics on OTC Sales System

(a) Mail order/internet retailing

(b) ʺ Switch OTC ʺ

Section 2: Activities and campaigns (e.g. promotion events, campaigns)

3.

Calendar for Community Pharmacy and Pharmacists

        JPA has prepared the calendar for community pharmacy and pharmacists. The calendar is expected to be utilized in their community activities for the public. The calendar focuses a different specific theme quarterly:

        February, 2011 – April, 2011 ʺ Prevention of Overdose and Suicideʺ

        May, 2011 – July, 2011 ʺQuit Smoking ʺ

        August, 2011 – October, 2011 ʺDrug Notebookʺ

4.

Suicide Countermeasures Month: March

Suicide Prevention Week: September 10 – September 16

        JPA encouraged participating in the activities by displaying poster at community pharmacy, attending properly to consumers of sleep-inducing drug and collaboration with counseling centers/healthcare institutions.

        In February 2011, JPA prepared the document ʺApproach to countermeasures against Overdose and Suicideʺ. A part of the document includes how pharmacy profession/service and community pharmacy function are involved in the approach; (1) Knowledge dissemination/enlightening; (2) Early Detection and (3) Quality Drug Therapy, including caring people with risk of overdose. Attached document ʺApproach by Pharmacists to countermeasures against Overdose and Suicideʺ suggests the examples of service at community pharmacies.

        In 2006, ʺBasic Act on Suicide Preventionʺ was announced and came into effect, then, in 2007, Broad Outline on Suicide Prevention, government policy, was developed. The Broad Outline calls a week starting from September 10 as ʺSuicide Prevention Weekʺ, based on World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.

        Also Council for Policy of Suicide Prevention, set up by the Act, advocates Suicide Countermeasures Month in March – a month when number of death from suicide is high.

Please see Annex 2.

Section 3: General (e.g. change of pharmacy practice, pharmacy education, standards, quality control )

6.

Action Plan for Home Care Promotion

        In October, 2010, JPA developed the ʺAction Plan for Home Care Promotionʺ, to facilitate the environment in the society and more community pharmacies’ involvement in healthcare team.

        According to the Plan, JPA developed materials, including the revised flowchart to check physical conditions through life function and medications, approach model for interdisciplinary collaboration, leaflet on visit and medication management service etc.

        In FY2011, the activities by regional pharmaceutical associations nationwide with those new tools are in operation.