There continues to be a shortage of supply of some medicines, such as cough drops. Ahead of the winter season, when infectious diseases are more likely to spread, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Takemi asked pharmaceutical companies on the 7th to "reiterate their response by all possible measures, including increasing production."
Due to the influenza epidemic and the influence of the new coronavirus, the demand for medicines that make it easier to cough and sputum is increasing, and it is becoming difficult to obtain.
In October, the government asked eight major manufacturers of drugs that are in short supply to release their inventories or urgently increase production, and the supply of these drugs is expected to increase by about 10% from the end of September at least until the end of December.
However, there are still voices from the field that it is not enough.
Against this backdrop, as we enter the winter season, when infectious diseases are more likely to spread, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Takemi gathered 8 pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and sell medicines such as cough suppressants, which are in short supply, to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on the 12th, and requested that measures be taken to ensure a stable supply.
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Takemi stated, "We have provided support to increase production through the government's economic measures, but we are also considering a response to drug price revisions in the next fiscal year for drugs that are currently in short supply and are considered unprofitable."
On top of that, he told the people in charge of the companies that had gathered, "I would like to ask you to take all possible measures, including increasing production."