What drug costs to do !? Overdose Verification movement is also September 27 15:23

How will we curb medical expenses that continue to increase as we enter a super-aged society? Such discussions are active. One of the issues is “drug costs”. Over 9 trillion yen per year, accounting for more than 20% of the national medical expenses. In August, the Federation of Health Insurance Associations = Kenpo Ren recommended that hay fever drugs with the same efficacy as over-the-counter drugs be removed from medical insurance, and received great attention. In fact, in addition to these institutional discussions, in the medical field, a movement to focus on individual patients and verify whether there are excessive medications has begun.

Investigating overdose of palliative care

“Palliative care” to relieve pain and mental pain by administering drugs to cancer patients. It was found that approximately 70% of pharmacists working at the hospital confirmed patients who were taking drugs inappropriately.

The survey was conducted by the Japanese Association for Palliative Medicine, made by pharmacists involved in cancer treatment. This was conducted for pharmacists working at hospitals and received responses from 350 people.

75.5% of inappropriate prescription confirmation

According to that, in October and November, the investigator who conducted the survey answered that the doctor had confirmed cases of inappropriate prescriptions for palliative care patients who were receiving medical narcotics etc. There were 262 people, accounting for 75.5% of the total.

In specific terms, although the symptoms were resolved, unnecessary prescriptions were kept on a random basis, but 63.8%, prescriptions that caused side effects were performed, but 24%, prescriptions with the same effect were duplicated It has been 21.7%.

In most of these cases, pharmacists pointed out problems with doctors and reduced prescription drugs, and the most frequently removed drugs were antiemetic drugs that stop nausea caused by anticancer drugs, 44.8%, Next, digestive drugs account for 39.3%, and hypnotic sedatives account for 28.7%.

“Doctors and pharmacists work together to give proper prescriptions”

Mitsuru Shiokawa, director of the Japan Palliative Medicine Association and the director of Seirei Yokohama Hospital, said, “Patients with palliative care are prescribed anticancer drugs and drugs that suppress side effects, and are used more than patients with other diseases. "There are many drugs that are used, and doctors and pharmacists work together to make appropriate prescriptions, which reduces the burden on patients and reduces medical expenses."

Your opinion

Medical reform is not just about changing the system of the country, but steady efforts in the medical field will also be important.

Examining excess medical care like this will not only reduce medical costs, but also benefit patients. On the other hand, if you focus only on reducing medical costs, there may be people who cannot receive the necessary medical care.

NHK will continue to report on various movements related to medical reform. If you have any opinions or suggestions regarding medical reform, please let us know.

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