＜POINTS＞
- In Scotland in 2021, the Scottish Government committed to working with local, regional and national stakeholders, including patient groups to develop a national approach to service delivery for chronic pain acknowledging the high prevalence of chronic pain and its impact and the importance of prioritising policy development.
- A large number of people with lived experience participated in Scotland’s National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain within the government to discuss policies aligned with the needs of people living with pain.
- Surveys, the activities of the third sector, and the active engagement of patients and health care professionals in meetings illuminated the diverse needs of individuals from various backgrounds, integrating them into the policymaking process.
- Policy discussions encompassed a spectrum of pain causes, addressing both complex pain and less complex pain, which often presents alongside one of more other long-term conditions.
Introduction
In recent years, advancements in neuroscience have led to a better understanding of the pain mechanisms and the accumulation of evidence for pain management. On the other hand, it has been a global public health challenge to reflect this new evidence into service delivery. Mainly in developed countries, there is a growing movement to reassess previous pain management services and formulate national strategies pertaining to pain, with the aim of promoting pain treatments tailored to each individual’s condition based on the latest available evidence in pain science.
In Japan, a parliamentary group on chronic pain management was established in 2014, engaging in ongoing discussions with the goal of enacting the Basic Law for Chronic Pain Management. Additionally, starting from the fiscal year 2023, there has been an increase in momentum for establishing national strategies in Japan, chief of which can be seen in the petition aiming at enacting the law. On the other hand, stakeholders related to pain management exhibit a diverse range of interests, making it challenging to reach a consensus. Treatments and care for pain-triggering diseases, diversely ranging from complex pain such as fibromyalgia, to common diseases such as cancer, orthopaedic diseases, neurological diseases and autoimmune diseases, are supplied by various medical departments and health professionals.
How did countries that successfully establish national pain strategies navigate dialogues with stakeholders holding different orientations and formulate policies? This column will introduce the case of Scotland, which in 2022 compiled a national framework entitled “Framework for pain management service delivery”[i] and subsequently an Implementation Plan for the Framework.[ii]
Summary of the Scottish Government’s Framework and Scotland Service Model
Scotland Service Model[iii]
The Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain, announced in 2014, stratifies pain care at different levels within Scotland, taking into account the complexity of pain and the diverse providers of care. This model has been adopted by the Scottish government, serving as the cornerstone of Scotland’s approach to chronic pain policy.
- Level 1: Care in communities based on the patient’s self-management.
- Level 2: Care provided by local general practitioners (GPs) and therapists for low-complexity pain.
- Level 3: Specialised and interdisciplinary treatment for moderate-complexity pain.
- Level 4: Advanced pain management programmes for high-complexity pain.
Figure 1: Model of care. (Gilbert S, Holdsworth L, Smith B. The Scottish model for chronic pain management services. British Journal of Healthcare Management December 2014;20(12):568-577.)
Scottish Government’s Framework
To strengthen the delivery of care based on the individual’s need, “framework for pain management service delivery – implementation plan” compiled the voices of people with lived experience into the four actions needed:
A: Patient-cantered care
B: Access to care
C: Safe and effective support
D: Improvement of the quality of services and care
Enablers of the National Framework Development
- Establishment of a platform for multi-stakeholder discussions
Platform for discussions at the Cross-party Group (CPG) on Chronic Pain
The Cross-party Group (CPG) on Chronic Pain in Scotland was founded in 2001. It is dedicated to actively promoting awareness of the ongoing challenges confronted by individuals experiencing chronic pain. Its primary objective is to enhance the provision of speedy and appropriate treatment and care. Under the leadership of parliamentarians, over 200 individuals and organisations, including a broad range of patients and citizen groups, healthcare providers, academia, and industry stakeholders, have been involved, paving the way for diverse stakeholders to engage in discussions. Even after the Scottish Government responses to chronic pain initiated the CPG remains a vital forum for discussions. This ensures the voices of the diverse stakeholders of chronic pain are heard.
Platform for discussion in the Scottish Government
Following debates within the parliamentary group, in 2014, the Minister of Public Health founded the National Chronic Pain Improvement Group. Subsequently, in 2017, a committee within the Scottish Health Department, known as the National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain (NACCP), was established. These committees comprise individuals dedicated to the governance of public institutions and healthcare establishments, including academic professionals. Furthermore, members encompass healthcare providers of diverse specialisations and disciplines, alongside representatives of a broad spectrum of health conditions. Collectively, they have engaged in thoughtful deliberations, discussing pain treatment approaches with the aim of reaching a consensus.
Such a collaborative structure has been put into practice during the implementation stage following the 2022 framework formulation. The Pain Management Task Force, which directly provides information to the relevant ministers, involves a diverse range of stakeholders related to healthcare and welfare, including individuals directly affected by pain. In addition, measures have been instituted to ensure the inclusion of diverse stakeholder perspectives. These include the establishment of a Lived Experience Panel[iv], comprising individuals with first-hand experience in pain management, and the implementation of a reporting system through Health Improvement Scotland to articulate the voices of individuals.
Figure 2: Governance arrangements for implementation of the Framework. (Scottish Government, 2022. Framework for pain management service delivery – implementation plan.)
*SG: Scottish Government, NHS: National Health Service, HSCP: Health and Social Care Partnership, CfSD: the national Centre for Sustainable Delivery, HIS: Health Improvement Scotland, AHP: Allied Health Professional
- Contributors to delivering voices of patients with different diseases to policies
Collecting diverse voices through civic organisations
In the United Kingdom, charitable activities led by civic organisations, “the Third Sector”, are actively taking place. For example, Pain Concern, which held a commissioner role at NACCP, disseminates information about pain in an understandable format for patients and citizens, and also provides consultation support for those experiencing pain. The Third Sector plays an important role in channelling the collective voices of people with lived experience through consultation support services, thereby influencing policies. Simultaneously, it makes individual contributions to each person living in pain. Such initiatives by the third sector, including those by Chronic Pain Australia in Australia and counterparts in other countries, contribute to advancing policies from the perspective of the third sector that works closely to those directly affected.
Epidemiological Surveys on Chronic Pain
Throughout these processes, a diverse array of stakeholder voices has shaped policy influence. However, there is a growing awareness that the voices heard in these processes only reveal a small part of the whole picture, underscoring the need to understand the existing circumstances of a broader range of patients. To reinforce that, epidemiological research has contributed to understanding epidemiology and associated factors of chronic pain. As an example, a review on chronic pain epidemiology in population-based studies were published in 2019[v]. It reported the high prevalence and incidence of chronic pain as well as summarised various factors of chronic pain which include demographic, lifestyle and behaviour, clinical and other factors. Understanding the diverse factors of chronic pain calls for the comprehensive management of its causes and effects, which can be other health conditions including mental health and other multi-morbidities, at both individual and population levels.
Implications for Japan
In Japan, similar initiatives have taken place to get across the collective perspectives of patients with various diseases through the involvement of patient organisations. This includes active participation in parliamentary groups and petition campaigns, supported by multiple patient organisations. To make further policy advancements in the inclusion of patients and citizens, Japan is expected to institute a specialised consultation support system dedicated to pain management, amplify individual voices and visualise the needs of those navigating pain by drawing inspiration from existing initiatives.
[i] Scottish Government. Chronic pain service delivery – draft framework: consultation. 2022. Available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/draft-framework-chronic-pain-service-delivery/pages/1/ (Viewed on February 24, 2024)
[ii] Scottish Government. Framework for pain management service delivery implementation plan. 2022. Available from: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2022/07/framework-pain-management-service-delivery-implementation-plan/documents/framework-pain-management-service-delivery-implementation-plan/framework-pain-management-service-delivery-implementation-plan/govscot%3Adocument/framework-pain-management-service-delivery-implementation-plan.pdf (Viewed on February 24, 2024)
[iii] Gilbert S, Holdsworth L, Smith B. The Scottish model for chronic pain management services. British Journal of Healthcare Management December 2014;20(12):568-577. Available from: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjhc.2014.20.12.568 (Viewed on February 24, 2024)
[iv] Scottish Government, 2022. Scottish Government Pain Management Panel. Available from: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/independent-report/2022/11/scottish-government-pain-management-panel/documents/scottish-government-pain-management-panel/scottish-government-pain-management-panel/govscot%3Adocument/scottish-government-pain-management-panel.pdf (Viewed on February 24, 2024)
[v] Mills SEE, Nicolson KP, Smith BH. Chronic pain: a review of its epidemiology and associated factors in population-based studies. Br J Anaesth. 2019 Aug;123(2):e273-e283. Available from: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.023 (Viewed on April 1, 2024)
Acknowledgement
We sincerely appreciate Dr Blair H. Smith, Professor at University of Dundee; the former National Lead Clinician for Chronic Pain, Ms Nicola Rhind, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Grampian Pain Management Service; the National Lead Clinician for Chronic Pain, and the Scottish Government Chronic Pain Policy Team for their kind supports when compiling this column.
Authors
Takahiro Sakauchi (Manager, HGPI)
Yuri Isoda (Intern, HGPI)
On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) CEO and Board Member Mr. Ryoji Noritake delivered a presentation at the summit for international leaders in the dementia field at the World Dementia Council (WDC) at the Francis Crick Institute in London. Noritake presented in a session focused on the practical ways to prevent dementia treatments from expanding inequalities between and within countries.
The 2024 World Dementia Council Summit, titled “The next 10 years: from therapies through to brain health”, was hosted by WDC, rooted in the pressing need to accelerate the progress in dementia diagnosis and treatment. Joined by politicians, policymakers, the research community, industry, care providers and advocates as speakers, it also covered health humanity challenges, such as how to combat health inequalities resulting from disparities in available treatments for individuals. Recognising the trend of rapidly ageing populations worldwide, it addressed how to maintain brain health and prevent disease, how to diagnose earlier and treat better; and how to keep people well for as long as possible for as long as possible.
For further information, please visit here.
(Photos: Pete Jones @pjproductions)
In celebration of Earth Day, April 22, a day to support environmental protection of the planet, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) is pleased to officially announce that it has joined the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) as a partner.
ATACH was established based on the COP26 Health Programme, which was launched at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2021. The program places human health at the forefront of climate change measures and calls on participating countries to commit to building “climate resilient health systems” and “sustainable low carbon health systems.” ATACH was established to translate these commitments into action, with the World Health Organization (WHO) as the Secretariat of ATACH.
As of April 2024, over 80 countries and areas have made ATACH commitments at the Minister of Health level, and ATACH has more than 30 participating partners, including ministries of health in countries that have made commitments. These partners can participate in the following five working groups;
- Financing Working Group (FIN-WG)
- Climate Resilient Health Systems Working Group (CRHS-WG)
- Low Carbon Sustainable Health Systems Working Group (LCSHS-WG)
- Supply Chain Working Group (SC-WG)
- Climate Action and Nutrition Working Group (I-CAN-WG)
HGPI will be participating in CRHS-WG, LCSHS-WG and SC-WG.
On January 27, 2024, at the 154th World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board in Geneva, the Japanese government delegation expressed formal interest in ATACH. A formal commitment and participation in the partnership by the Japanese government are expected, and HGPI will provide as much support as possible to promote understanding among domestic stakeholders.
■About Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH):
ATACH was established at the request of member countries with WHO as its secretariat to share opinions and information; to reinforce technical and political cooperation; and to encourage making climate change a global priority. Its functions include monitoring, financing, and knowledge sharing, as well as coordinating access to technical assistance for participating governments and organizations.
Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)’s Planetary Health Team and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Team submitted their written opinion on the draft of “The Sixth Basic Environment Plan (“the Plan”)” by the General Policy Committee of the Central Environment Council that was hosted by the General Policy Division of the Minister’s Secretariat within the Ministry of the Environment.
As stated in the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers’ Communiqué on April 16th, 2023, the triple global crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution has led to worsening of economic and social disruptions, health threats and energy crises. Japan must achieve the transformation towards a net zero, circular, and nature positive economy and society to ensure “healthy and cultured living” not only for the present but also for the future generation, and to contribute to the well-being of people all over the world.
In order to advance and contribute to healthy and cultured living for both the present and the future generations of Japan and the well-being of mankind through environmental conservation, the ” Basic Act on the Environment ” was enacted in November 1993. The Plan, which is to be reviewed approximately every six years, has been adopted on the basis of this law and is under consideration for amendment.
The public comment includes the following perspectives
- HGPI welcomes the inclusion of the concept of “planetary health” in the introduction of the Plan, which explores the mechanisms by which the Earth’s environment and human health interact.
- Planetary health should be mainstreamed in each measure and it is necessary to contribute to the well-being of all citizens, especially those who are vulnerable to environmental impacts such as displaced persons, older persons and women.
- The implementation of the initiatives described in this plan should be based also on other plans and strategies, including the “SDGs Implementation Guiding Principles” that contains viewpoints of planetary health, the “Global Health Strategy” of Japan and the “National Action Plan on AMR.”
- For example, an integrated solution to the “Triple Planetary Crisis” (climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution) and other global challenges such as natural disasters and health emergencies should be implemented, which is emphasized in the “SDGs Implementation Guiding Principles”.
- In particular, the healthcare industry, such as hospitals and pharmaceutical industry, needs to discuss and promote concrete actions to tackle with global environmental crisis, while enduring sustainability of healthcare and long-term care services.
- Regarding AMR measures, surveillance should be strengthened for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and residual antimicrobial in the environment, and education and training of professionals should be promoted.
Furthermore, to promote the principles of the Plan, cross-ministerial efforts are essential. It is also important to incorporate planetary health approach into higher level policies such as the “Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2024.”
For more information on this public comment, please click here (only available in Japanese).
Around the world, alcoholic beverages have played a vital role in shaping local food cultures and are an important source of revenue for governments. However, in addition to mental disorders like alcoholism, alcohol consumption is a known factor for a number of serious non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and can lead to social harms such as traffic accidents and violence. In response, some people are calling for action to address Health Problems Caused by Alcohol.
Driven by concern toward the health and social consequences of alcohol, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted the “Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol” at the World Health Assembly in 2010. Later, in 2013, the WHO presented a plan aiming to prevent NCDs caused by alcohol consumption titled the “Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020” (currently the Global Action Plan 2022-2030). In response to these developments, Japan enacted the Basic Act on Measures against Health Problems Caused by Alcohol in December 2013. Based on this law, the Government of Japan formulated the Basic Plan for Promotion of Measures against Health Problems Caused by Alcohol (hereinafter referred to as the “Alcohol Basic Plan”). This is how all of Japan began taking steps to promote measures against alcohol-related health problems. The Alcohol Basic Plan is currently in its second phase (2021-2025) and outlines priorities and ten basic measures to drive progress in reducing alcohol-related harm. In response to that plan, guidelines titled, “Guidelines on Alcohol Consumption Considering Health Issues” were formulated in February 2024 to promote the dissemination of information regarding the risks associated with alcohol consumption.
For the upcoming 125th HGPI Seminar, we will host Dr. Sachio Matsushita, who chaired the study group that prepared the “Guidelines on Alcohol Consumption Considering Health Issues.” Dr. Matsushita will share the history and current state of domestic measures for reducing alcohol-related health problems, the background to the preparation of the “Guidelines on Alcohol Consumption Considering Health Issues,” and future prospects for efforts in this area. In 2025, Japan is set to revise the Alcohol Basic Plan, and on the global stage, NCDs will be discussed at the Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (HLM4). At HGPI, we will continue holding discussions on controlling alcohol-related harm and other NCDs like CVDs and kidney disease. We would like for this seminar to be an opportunity to discuss with all those present what measures can be taken to reduce alcohol-related harm within Japan’s health policy.
[Event Overview]
- Speaker: Dr. Sachio Matsushita (Director, National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center and Visiting Professor, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine)
- Date & Time: Friday, May 24 , 2024; from 18:30-19:45 JST
- Format: Online (Zoom Webinar)
- Language: Japanese
- Participation Fee: Free
- Capacity: 500 people
■Profile:
Dr. Sachio Matsushita (Director of Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center and Visiting Professor, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine)
After graduating from Keio University School of Medicine, he began his career as a psychiatrist at Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center in 1988. Post-doctoral fellow at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism from 1993 to 1995. After returning to Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center in 1995, he received a Ph.D. in psychiatry from the Keio University School of Medicine in 2010. He became deputy director in 2011 and has served as director since 2022. He has chaired the committee of the development of the first drinking guideline in Japan.
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The Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) and SENSHO-GUMI co-hosted the second Young Professionals’ Roundtable for Public-Private Opinion Exchange on Social Security and Healthcare Policy, titled “Considering How to Build Relationships Between The Public and Private Sectors So We Can Devise Solutions Together.”
To begin the roundtable, Mr. Jun Fukuyoshi (CEO and Founder, Cancerscan Inc.) and Mr. Tadayuki Mizutani (Director, Policy Planning Division for Pharmaceutical Industry Promotion and Medical Information Management, Health Policy Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) shared knowledge from both the public and private sectors and talked about experiences in conversations aimed at thinking together while introducing key points for building relationships between the public and private sectors. After their talk, participants shared best practices and items they recognized as challenges based on their own experiences and deepened the discussion on how to best shape public-private partnerships to achieve better health policy.
Introducing the Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub
The Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub engages in projects related to environmental improvement, facility operations, and supporting and encouraging collaboration and engagement among alliance organizations to generate new value to provide society through public-private co-creation. To achieve this, the Hub provides opportunities for conversations to be held among representatives of both the public and private sectors (including those from government and municipal offices, local governments, administrative bodies, corporations, universities, NPOs, and civil society) spanning a variety of fields. The Public and Private Sector Co Creation Hub has been commissioned by Chuo-Nittochi Co., Ltd. to conduct a trial project for the Toranomon Innovation Center concept in which it is responsible for supporting initiatives for public-private co-creation at the Public and Private Sector Co Creation Studio.
Introducing Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)
HGPI is a Tokyo-based independent and non-profit health policy think tank established in 2004. In its capacity as a neutral think-tank, HGPI involves stakeholders from wide-ranging fields of expertise to provide policy options to the public to successfully create citizen-focused healthcare policies. While holding fast to its independence to avoid being bound to the specific interests of political parties and other organizations, HGPI generates policy options that will be effective in Japan and around the world and actively pursues solutions to global health and health policy challenges.
Introducing SENSHO-GUMI Co., Ltd.
Established in January 2020 by Mr. Yasuhiro Sensho, a former health ministry bureaucrat at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) Health Policy Bureau, SENSHO-GUMI Co., Ltd. is a consulting firm focusing on health and long-term care. With the addition of Mr. Takakiyo Nishikawa, formerly an assistant manager at the MHLW, the company thrives on a wealth of experience. The focus of SENSHO-GUMI Co., Ltd. is to deliver top-tier consulting services in the realms of healthcare, long-term care, and public welfare. Committed to making a difference, they are actively engaged in disseminating and proposing means for citizens to see their needs reflected in policy.
In his capacity as CEO, Mr. Sensho engages in a variety of public activities, encompassing public speaking, writing articles, and serving as a council member of the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of the Environment. Notably, Mr. Sensho also publishes articles on m3.com, one of Japan’s most prominent information websites for healthcare professionals. He has also spoken at seminars organized by HGPI, The Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Associations of Japan, and the Japan Hospital Association.
Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) will hold an Intractable Disease Day Symposium: Future Measures for Intractable Diseases from the Perspectives of Patients and Citizens on 23rd May.
Although health policy spans a wide variety of topics, intractable diseases are one of the most important. While they are often discussed alongside rare diseases, certain aspects of intractable diseases place particularly heavy physical and psychological burdens on patients. We have yet to identify the underlying mechanisms or establish clear treatment methods for intractable diseases. They also require patients to undergo long-term treatment. Japan currently designates 341 conditions as “intractable diseases” and they are estimated to affect over 1 million people.
Starting the compilation of the “Outline of Intractable Disease Measures” in 1972, the Government of Japan has been advancing measures for intractable diseases through the promotion of R&D, improving the healthcare provision system, and supporting patients, mainly through the subsidization of care. After the formation of the Liaison Council for Intractable Disease Treatment and establishment of Intractable Disease Support Centers in each prefecture in 1998, joint efforts with the welfare system have been underway to improve living environments and provide employment support for people living with intractable diseases. The Long-Term Care Insurance System has made it possible to provide long-term care to people who require it due to an intractable disease, and a direction for intractable disease measures that include promoting healthcare and improving the social environment was set by the enactment of the Act on Medical Care for Patients with Intractable Diseases in 2014.
However, measures for intractable diseases face a number of lingering issues. For the healthcare provision system, these include information disparities, in which people do not receive enough of the information they need; long diagnostic delays or diagnosis lag; regional healthcare disparities; and collaboration spanning pediatric healthcare to adult healthcare. There are also a number of actions that should be taken for R&D. For example, we hope to see the establishment of a data aggregation system to further basic research on each disease as well as the promotion of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) to encourage research that reflects patients’ needs in the development of therapeutics.
At this symposium, we will hold a multi-stakeholder discussion on the nature of intractable disease control to identify issues to address in the future and disseminate those issues to greater society.
[Event Overview]
- Date & Time: Thursday, May 23, 2024; from 15:00 to 17:00 (Open 14:45) JST
- Format: Hybrid (In-Person and Online (Zoom Webinars)); the lecture archive will be available at a later date
- Venue: Global Business Hub Tokyo Field >>Access
(Grand Cube 3F, Otemachi Financial City, 1-9-2, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN 100-0004) - Language: Japanese and English (with simultaneous interpretation)
- Participation Fee: Free
- Capacity: Venue about 50 /Online 1,000
- Organizer: Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)
- Supported by: Japan Patients Association (JPA); NPO ASrid
*Currently adjusting the Program and Registration. Please wait for further information.
The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Health Information Project hosted a Global Sage Meeting entitled, “Co-creating Health Information Right.”
Recognizing the movement toward information digitalization in recent years and the fact that health information can directly impact health, HGPI held two meetings with health professionals, representatives of Government and industry, patients and patient advocate leaders, and experts in fields like philosophy, religion, and informatics for a global and multidisciplinary discussion on the nature of health information.
■The First Sage Meeting: The accuracy and reliability of health information
Keynote Lecture 1: Co-creating Health Information Right
Takeo Nakayama (Professor, Department of Health Informatics, School of Public Health, Kyoto University)
Professor Nakayama’s lecture examined the ideal structure of information surrounding health in the future and the nature of evidence based on the concept of health communication in Shared Decision Making (SDM), which is a necessary element in healthcare decision-making due to the multifaceted nature of information exchange in the modern era.
Keynote Lecture 2: Information as a Determinant of Health in the Modern Era
Garth Graham (Director and Global Head, Healthcare and Public Health, Google/YouTube)
Mr. Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health at YouTube, a video content platform used by billions of people today. Mr. Graham discussed the challenges and social responsibilities of platform operators given the widespread popularity of video content and highlighted current efforts to address those challenges.
Discussion
The discussion portion of the meeting looked back on the COVID-19 pandemic to examine issues related to accurate health information, which were shared from the perspectives of both information providers and recipients. Effective measures to bridge the gaps between these two parties were also discussed. Another theme of the discussion was the reliability and validity of information, with a close look at fundamental topics such as how individuals think, how society should position itself in the face of health information, and the characteristics of health information. Through this discussion, we were able to examine the true nature of health information as a social issue.
■The second Sage Metting: Ideal methods of transmitting and receiving health information
Keynote Lecture 3: The Nature of Communication Through the Lens of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Topics
Shigeru Omi (Chairman, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association)
Dr. Shigeru Omi gave a keynote lecture in which he reflected on his position as a specialist during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored various topics, such as the balance between dialogue with the Government and the dialogue with the public during each phase of the pandemic.
Discussion
During the discussion, participants examined effective methods of communicating information and shared more specific methods of doing so, with a particular focus on items for information transmitters to keep in mind regarding the characteristics of health information, their responsibilities, and precautions for providing information. Among the items covered in that discussion, one of the most significant points raised was the need for the media and the Government to build a system for cooperation in the near future to establish the capacity to rapidly provide accurate information during emergencies. As Japan frequently experiences natural disasters and other crises, this must be done in advance, before emergency situations arise. The meeting concluded with a discussion on necessary concepts within information co-creation in modern society, where all citizens are frequently in contact with health information.
The discussions at these two meetings allowed us to discuss the nature of health information as a social issue that requires examination from both a medical perspective as well as the perspective of human nature. Our discussions were not held with the purpose of reaching a conclusion or for recommending solutions; rather, our objective was to crystallize and gather opinions and perspectives from a wide variety of positions. This report was also compiled based on this concept. We sincerely hope it serves as a useful reference for future discussions on health information.
[Event Overview]
- The 1st Event: Friday, July 21, 2023; from 14:00 to 17:30 JST
- The 2nd Event: Wednesday, October 25, 2023; Fron 14:00 to 17:30 JST
- Venue: Event Space in Google Japan G.K. (Tokyo)
Meeting participants (Titles omitted; in Japanese syllabary order. All titles and affiliations are current as of the dates of the meetings.)
Ichio Aoki (Senior Principal Investigator, Institute for Quantum Medical Science (iQMS), National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST).)
Shinsuke Amano (Board Chairman of Japan Federation of Cancer Patient Groups)
Hirono Ishikawa (Professor, Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health)
Mamoru Ichikawa (Representative, Association of Medical Journalism)
Ryu Inomata (Person living with heart disease, Help Mark Awareness Worker in Nagano Prefecture)
Naoko Iwanaga (Freelance Medical Journalist)
Norio Ohmagari (Director, Disease Control and Prevention Center (DCC) of National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM); Director and Chief, International Center for Infectious Diseases; Chief Medical Officer, Department of Infectious Diseases, Disease Control and Prevention Center of NCGM)
Mariko Ogawa (Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Ichikawa General Hospital Tokyo Dental College)
Shigeru Omi (Chairman, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association)
Junko Kitanaka (Professor, Department of Humanities and Sociology (Human Sciences), Faculty of Letters, Keio University)
Satoshi Kutsuna (Professor, Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Graduate School of Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, Osaka University)
Keigo Kobayashi (Person living with a mental disorder)
Naomi Sakurai (President, Cancer Solutions Co., Ltd.)
Yuya Shibuya (Associate Professor, Division of Joint Usage and Research, Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo)
Takeshi Shukunobe (CEO, PPeCC)
Rami Suzuki (President and Representative Director, Moderna Japan)
Tomohisa Sumida (Visiting Research Fellow, Graduate School of Human Relations, Keio University)
Atsushi Sorita (Partner, McKinsey & Company)
Soichiro Toda (Project Researcher, Graduate School/Faculty of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University)
Akiko Nakajo (Managing Director, YouTube Japan, Google Japan G.K.)
Takeo Nakayama (Professor, Department of Health Informatics, School of Public Health, Kyoto University)
Daisuke Furuta (Journalist; Chief Editor, Japan Fact-check Center (JFC); a founder of Media-Collabo)
Shoukei Matsumoto (Ancestroist; CEO & Co-Founder, Interbeing, Inc.; Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum)
Kengo Miyo (Chair of Nursing Informatics Committee, Japan Association for Medical Informatics/ Chief Medical Informatics Officer, National Center for Global Health and Medicine)
Masafumi Motomura (Professor, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University)
Keiko Yamada (Associate Professor, Saitama Prefectural University; Principal Investigator, Project on Disseminating Medical Research Results in an Easy-to-Understand Manner)
Kensuke Yoshimura (Professor, Center for Next Generation of Community Health, Chiba University Hospital; Executive secretary, COV-Navi)
Garth Graham (Head of YouTube Health)
Project sponsors (in alphabetical order)
Google Japan G.K.
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) Global Health Innovation Policy Program
Moderna Japan Co., Ltd.
Health and Global Institute (HGPI) hosted the Project for Considering the Future of Precision Medicine with Industry, Government, Academia, and Civil Society – The Global Meeting: Toward Equitable Patient Access to Genomic Cancer Medicine in both on-site and online (Hybrid) format on April 4th, 2024.
In the field of oncology, “Cancer Genomic Medicine” has already been actively adopted into routine clinical practice in some countries. There are high expectations that cancer genomic medicine has the potential to fundamentally change the cancer treatment strategy for individual patients in the future.
At this meeting, since ensuring equitable patient access to cancer genomic medicine, including cancer genetic panel testing and subsequent treatment, has become a global topic of discussion, multi-stakeholders were invited, discussing about the latest initiatives in the UK and Japan.
The panel discussion at this meeting focused on the following issues
- Geographic and informational barriers to participation in tests and clinical trials.
- How industry-government-academia-industry collaboration can help remove bottlenecks to patient access.
- Assessment and institutional design measures to ensure access to appropriate tests and treatments at the right time.
- Actions to disseminate and scale up advanced technologies for general use.
[Event Overview]
- Date & Time: Thursday, April 4, 2024; from 15:30 to 19:00 JST / from 7:30 to 11:00 GMT (Open: 15:00 JST / 7:00 GMT)
- Format: Hybrid (In-Person and Online (Zoom Webinars))
- Venue: Global Business Hub Tokyo Field
(Grand Cube 3F, Otemachi Financial City, 1-9-2, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN 100-0004) - Languages: Japanese and English (with simultaneous interpretation)
- Participation fee: Free
- Hosted by: Health and Global Policy Institute
- Supported by: The British Embassy Tokyo
- Sponsored by: AstraZeneca K.K., National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) Global Health Innovation Policy Program (GHIPP), Philips Japan, Ltd.
[Program] (Titles omitted; in no particular order)
| 15:30-15:40 | Opening Remarks |
 Ryoji Noritake (CEO, Board Member, Health and Global Policy Institute) |
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| 15:40-16:00 | Keynote Speech 1: Genomic Cancer Medicine in Japan |
 Hitoshi Nakagama (President, National Cancer Center) |
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| 16:00-16:20 | Keynote Speech 2: Genomic Cancer Medicine in the UK |
 Dame Sue Hill (Chief Scientific Officer, England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics, NHS) |
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| – Break (10 mins) – | |
| 16:30-17:10 | Round Table Discussion 1 “Tackling Regional Disparities in Patient Access to Genomic Cancer Medicine” |
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Panelists Moderator
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| 17:10-17:50 | Round Table Discussion 2 “Optimizing Financial and Institutional Support for Innovation” |
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Panelists Moderator
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| 17:50-18:00 | Closing Remarks |
 Margaret Tongue (Minister-Counsellor Economic Diplomacy, British Embassy Tokyo) |
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| 18:00-19:00 | Networking Reception |
Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)’s Kidney Disease Control Promotion Project, Obesity Control Promotion Project, and Cardiovascular Disease Control Promotion Project jointly held the “2nd meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Hokkaido and Tohoku”. This meeting aimed at enhancing the understanding of NCDs, which require intervention and management across sectors in the community and workplaces. The meeting also discussed how NCDs measures should be tailored to local conditions and characteristics, as well as to promote the horizontal development of policies across the community. The event provides the opportunity to foster a network among local governments for further promotion of NCDs policy in the region.
After lectures were conducted by specialists in kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, participants shared good practices and discussed issues and future prospects of NCDs management in each municipality.
The discussion points of the group discussion are as follows.
Issue 1: What are more effective methods and approaches to recommend health checkups to the target population, given the limitations of the current administrative recommendation for health checkups?
Issue 2: What should be the role of prefectures, municipalities, and public health centers, and how should cross-disease collaboration within each municipality be organized?
Issue 3: How can obesity, which is expected to be newly addressed, be integrated into regional measures against cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes?
Group discussions and a reception held after the meeting provided a lively exchange of opinions and information among the participants.
[Event Overview]
- Date & Time: Friday, March 15, 2024; from 13:00 to 17:30 JST
- Format: In-person only
- Target: Persons in charge of measures for kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity in each prefecture and city in Hokkaido, Tohoku and Hokuriku
[Program] (Titles omitted)
Part I: Latest trend and topics on Non-communicable Diseases
13:00-13:10 Opening Remarks and Explanatory Introduction
Eri Yoshimura (Senior Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute)
13:10-13:50 Lecture 1 “Treatment of cardiovascular diseases in the aging and multimorbidity society”
Satoshi Yasuda (Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine)
13:50-14:30 Lecture 2 “Obesity disease”
Yasushi Ishigaki (Professor, Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University)
14:30-15:10 Lecture 3 “Kidney Disease Control”
Mariko Miyazaki (Associate Professor, Division of Nephrology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine)
15:10-15:20 Break (10 minutes)
Part II: Group Discussion
15:20-16:55 Group Discussion by Administrative Officers
Theme “Lessons Learned, Challenges and Future Prospects in NCDs Control in Local Governments”
Sharing best practices (in no particular order): Akita prefecture, Miyagi prefecture and Sendai city
Moderator:
Haruka Sakamoto (Senior Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute)
Eri Yoshimura (Senior Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute)
16:55-17:00 Summary of Discussion and Closing remarks
Haruka Sakamoto (Senior Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute)
17:00-17:30 Receptions and Networking
The online seminar “Towards a Healthier Planet: Integrated Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation and Public Health in National Health Systems” hosted by Health and Global Policy Institute on Friday, January 19, 2024, was featured in the “with Planet” section of the Asahi Shimbun.
The seminar featured two guest speakers committed to national climate action strategies in the UK and France as examples of advanced government-led efforts to achieve “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The speakers introduced and discussed their national strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in health systems.
This article introduces the content of the HGPI’s online seminar and describes the efforts of the two countries to integrate health systems into national climate change strategies. It also describes measures involving diverse sectors as examples that can serve as guidelines for Japan.
For more information on the online seminar hosted by HGPI, please click here.
For the article on Asahi Shimbun’s “with Planet”, please click here. (Content in Japanese only)
Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) has been selected to implement an initiative titled, “Establishing a Skill Development Program and Collaborative Network for Improving Mental Health for Students with Intellectual Disabilities” as part of the Nippon Foundation grant program for FY2024.
HGPI views child health as a key item on the health policy agenda and has been advancing its Child Health Project since FY2020. In that project, we brought together affected parties and various opinion leaders in this field as well as related organizations representing industry, Government, academia, and civil society from Japan and overseas to hold advisory board meetings, interviews, and expert meetings with a continued focus on mental health for children. Mental health is a key topic in child health that is closely related to physical and psychological development as well as to socioeconomic issues. Using quantitative data, we crystallized issues and discussion points in existing health policy and examined potential approaches to addressing them. To gather quantitative data, we conducted intervention surveys with elementary and middle school students in FY2021 and with kindergarten teachers, nursery school teachers, and others who support preschoolers in FY2022. Based on our findings, we presented “Steps for Implementing Children’s Stress Management in Society” in August 2023 in collaboration with the Japan Society of Stress Management.
As we state in those recommendations, we will continue emphasizing the need to provide all children with opportunities to learn practical techniques for stress management as well as the need to provide children with disabilities and their guardians more opportunities to learn about mental health.
With support from the Nippon Foundation, this initiative will develop a skill development program for promoting mental health among students of high school age and with intellectual disabilities as well as verify the program’s effectiveness through its implementation. Our objective will be to establish a mental health support system for children with intellectual disabilities and to create even more opportunities for early detection and intervention for mental disorders. Furthermore, based on the findings of our effectiveness verification, we will compile policy recommendations with necessary perspectives for providing mental health support for children with intellectual disabilities and disseminate those recommendations to policymakers to contribute to promoting child health.
