Microeconomic and Quantitative Analysis of the National Heath Insurance Drug Price System in Japan

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03700
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public finance/Public economy
• Research Institution: Nagoya City University (2017-2022); Kyoto University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Wakutsu Naohiko 名古屋市立大学, 大学院経済学研究科, 准教授 (80638130)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 薬価制度 / 研究開発インセンティブ / ドラッグラグ / 医療保険財政 / リスク回避

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Due to severe financial conditions and unmet medical needs, the Japanese government must prioritize both R&D incentives and drug prices/expenditures. Hence, it is important to find ways to achieve higher R&D incentives without raising drug prices/expenditures. This study aims at considering such policy measures by conducting microeconomic and quantitative analyses of the National Health Insurance drug price system and pharmaceutical firms operating in Japan with focus on the so-called Price Maintenace Premium introduced in 2010, the development lag between Japan and the United States and risks faced by pharmaceutical firm about market launch in Japan. The results of this study were presented at the international conferences and published in international referred academic journals.

Free Research Field

医療経済学、産業組織論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新薬開発ラグは国民の医薬品アクセスを阻害させるため社会的に重要な問題であるが、近年の開発状況の実証研究はほとんど行われていない。また、持続的な医療保険制度のためには薬価に頼らない研究開発インセンティブの維持・向上策の検討が重要であるが、定量的な分析はこれまでなかった。社会的重要性と研究蓄積において本研究の意義は大きい。