EDITORIAL: Policy measures needed to address generic drug shortages | The Asahi Shimbun: latest news, current affairs and analysis from Japan
Japan has been plagued by a prolonged shortage of common medications such as cough suppressants, expectorants and antimicrobial agents. According to a survey by a pharmaceutical industry organization, since September, shipments of about 20 percent of all drugs have been either suspended or limited in quantity. Seventy percent of them are generic drugs, which are …