Open AccessAdvanced Medical Care Program for the Rapid Introduction of Healthcare Technologies to the National Health Insurance System in Japan
Author(s) -
Ueda Keiko,
Sanada Shoji,
Uemura Naoto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
clinical and translational science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.303
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1752-8062
pISSN - 1752-8054
DOI - 10.1111/cts.12751
Subject(s) - health care , health technology , business , managed care , medicine , computer science , economic growth , economics
Japan’s Advanced Medical Care Program (AMCP) seeks to facilitate patient access to promising healthcare technologies through National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage. This study aimed to examine AMCP’s contribution to the accelerated introduction of new technologies through NHI coverage. AMCP‐type B technologies registered May 2006–March 2019 were examined. To investigate the use of AMCP for NHI coverage, data from the AMCP website and from regulatory authority documents were used. Of 127 AMCP‐type B technologies, 38 underwent final review. Fifteen technologies were successfully introduced into NHI coverage. Eight technologies introduced directly through the Advanced Medical Care Conference were related to medical devices. Other technologies, including drugs, required additional accelerated frameworks for market approval. A strategic approach with the careful selection of target therapeutic technologies and accelerated frameworks is key for the rapid introduction of medical technologies through AMCP.