The Current Situation and Problems of Domestic Crude Drug Production

Denichiro Yamaoka; Takashi Ito; Hiroshi Asama; Yoshiro Sahashi; Kazuo Mitani; Donghyo Kang; Hiromichi Yasui; Hitoshi Watanabe

Return

The Current Situation and Problems of Domestic Crude Drug Production

VernacularTitle:The Current Situation and Problems of Domestic Crude Drug Production
Author: Denichiro YAMAOKA ¹ ; Takashi ITO ² ; Hiroshi ASAMA ³ ; Yoshiro SAHASHI ⁴ ; Kazuo MITANI ⁵ ; Donghyo KANG ⁶ ; Hiromichi YASUI ⁷ ; Hitoshi WATANABE ⁸
Author Information

1. East Asian Traditional Medicine Department of Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital
2. Institute of Oriental Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University
3. Institute of Oriental Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 1-21-8 Tabata, Crude Drugs Committee of Japan Kampo Medicine Manufacturers Association
4. UCHIDA WAKANYAKU Co., Ltd.
5. Department of Kampo Medicine, Aizu Medical Center Fukushima Medical University
6. Yamato Medical and Pharmaceutical Center, Nara Medical University
7. Mitani family Clinic
8. Osaka Crude Drug Association
Keywords: Aizu Ginseng; Domestic production of crude drugs; Standard price of crude drugs in National Health Insurance scheme; Yamato Angelica root
From:Kampo Medicine 2017;68(3):270-280
CountryJapan
Language:Japanese
Abstract: The consumption and sales of Kampo products, as well as the crude drugs that make up the products, have been increasing recently. However, the Kampo industry has been exhibiting a long-term decline due to the rise in price of imported crude drugs and reduction in standard prices of crude drugs by the Japanese National Health Insurance scheme. As the production of crude drug in Japan has been decreasing for the past thirty years, efforts have been made to improve the situation. Although the production of Aizu Ginseng decreased from 153 metric tons to 8 metric tons in Fukushima, university research institutes have initiated research on expansion of the farm field for Ginseng and reduction in a cultivation term. In Nara, farmers, pharmaceutical and food manufacturers, and university research institutes, aiming to develop new products using Yamato Angelica root, organized a joint council and have been working together to establish integrated systems from cultivation to sales. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Japan Kampo Medicines Manufacturers Association have held local meetings with farmers and pharmaceutical companies in different areas throughout Japan over the past three years from fiscal year 2013. In order to reduce national healthcare costs by Kampo medicine, it is necessary to upgrade the health care system where not only Kampo extract products but also medicinal plants as raw materials including decoctions can be used. Discussions on measures to cover the costs of domestic production of crude drugs should be required.