Deregulation in the health care sector

• Abstract
• Purpose of health policy or idea
• Characteristics of this policy
• Political and economic background
• Purpose and process analysis
• Expected outcome
• References

Abstract

As a part of regulatory reforms in the health care field, it has been argued that general retail stores should be allowed to sell some drugs that were exclusively sold at pharmacies. This can be done by re-classifying, with reference to some criteria, some of the existing drugs to quasi-drugs that are free to be sold even in general retail stores.

Purpose of health policy or idea

As a part of regulatory reforms in the health care field, it has been argued that general retail stores should be allowed to sell some drugs that were exclusively sold at pharmacies. This can be done by re-classifying, with reference to some criteria, some of the existing drugs to quasi-drugs that are free to be sold even in general retail stores. Incentives are non-financial. It is argued that such a move will make the system more convenient to consumers: some drugs are equivalent to those used by medical professionals become newly available during night times or outside pharmacies. As for pharmacists/pharmacies, they will lose their exclusive interests in sales of those re-classified drugs.

Main points

Main objectives

Regulatory reforms are accompanied with a perspective for realizing both construction of a consumer/people-oriented socio-economic system and stimulation of economic activity through

1. achieving sustainable economic development in a course of stimulating economic activity,
2. realizing socio-economy that is transparent, fair and credible,
3. realizing a life of the nation in which various choices are ensured,
4. realizing socio-economy that is open to other countries.

Based on this perspective, regulatory reforms aim at further strengthening the structural reform of socio-economy through aggressive and fundamental reviews of the present system in various fields of public administration, including expansion of private-sector participation, etc.

Type of incentives

non-financial: especially in the field of health care

Groups affected

pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufactures

Innovationsgrad	traditionell		innovativ
Kontroversität	unumstritten		kontrovers
Strukturelle Wirkung	marginal		fundamental
Medienpräsenz	sehr gering		sehr hoch
Übertragbarkeit	sehr systemabhängig		systemneutral

Issues of deregulation are related to problems deeply rooted in the system of public administration in Japan. Therefore, it is very difficult to conduct a fundamental reform in this field.

Political and economic background

Purpose and process analysis

Current Process Stages

	Idee	Pilotprojekt	Strategiepapier	Gesetzgebung	Umsetzung	Evaluation	Veränderung/Richtungswechsel
Implemented in this survey?

Approach of idea

The approach of the idea is described as:
renewed:

Review mechanisms

Halbzeitevaluation

Dimensions of evaluation

Ergebnis

Results of evaluation

The Action Plan for Deregulation is revised once in a year.

Expected outcome

This reform is still on the way to its implementation.

Impact of this policy

Qualität	kaum Einfluss		starker Einfluss
Gerechtigkeit	System weniger gerecht		System gerechter
Kosteneffizienz	sehr gering		sehr hoch

It will become more convenient to consumers when general retail stores are allowed to sell some of the drugs that were exclusively sold at pharmacies before. However, an impact of this reform to the health care system as a whole will be minimal after all, because the number of drugs that are newly allowed to be sold in general retail stores is only about 350.

References

Sources of Information

http://www8.cao.go.jp/kisei/en/

Author/s and/or contributors to this survey

Tetsuya Aman, Nobuyuki Izumida

Empfohlene Zitierweise für diesen Online-Artikel:

Tetsuya Aman, Nobuyuki Izumida. "Deregulation in the health care sector". Health Policy Monitor, June 2004. Available at http://www.hpm.org/survey/jp/c3/1