[Joint Report and Recommendations] “Rebalancing Health System: Innovation and Sustainability” A Joint Global Expert Meeting convened by the CSIS and HGPI

date : 7/1/2017

Tags: Future of the Health Care System, Innovation and Sustainability

[Joint Report and Recommendations] “Rebalancing Health System: Innovation and Sustainability” A Joint Global Expert Meeting convened by the CSIS and HGPI

A Joint Global Expert Meeting entitled, “Rebalancing Health System: Innovation and Sustainability” was convened by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) on April 14th, 2017, at the Iwasaki Koyata Memorial Hall at the International House of Japan in Tokyo.

During the meeting, a variety of domestic and foreign experts and stakeholders discussed ways to balance the high costs that accompany medical technology developments brought on by innovation with the sustainability of the social security system – an issue that is currently under discussion all around the world.

■Overview

Welcoming Remarks

Welcoming remarks were given by Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Chairman of HGPI. He expressed the need to finding a good balance between innovation and sustainability in the health systems.

Keynote Speech

Mr. Keizo Takemi, member of the House of Councillors, gave a keynote speech about the history of the Japanese health system, and the challenge of health care expenditure reform.

Keynote Lecture I “Innovation and Sustainability: Japan’s Challenge”

Dr. Yasuhiro Suzuki, Director General of the Health Insurance Bureau in Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) explained recent reforms in the Japanese drug pricing policy, and the future direction MHLW will take to achieve a good balance between innovation and sustainability in health care.

Keynote Lecture II “Healthcare Reform in U.S. under the New Administration”

Dr. J. Stephen Morrison, Senior Vice President and Director of the Global Health Policy at the CSIS explained the impact of the Trump administration on Obamacare, as well as the distinctiveness of the US healthcare system and healthcare market, which contain a research and development environment that drives forward global innovation.

Panel Discussion I “Experiences and Lessons: Global Context from the U.S, Europe and Japan”

The following three health experts and the moderator discussed about the importance of the creation of a common understanding about health issues among all stakeholders, the active use of data and evidence to effectively reduce unnecessary costs, and the involvement of the public in the decision making process for drug pricing.

Xavier Chan (Head of Public Health Solutions, Asia Pacific QuintilesIMS)
Karen DeSalvo (Former National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Former Assistant Secretary for Health [Acting], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
David L. Gollaher (Vice President, Government Affairs & Policy, Gilead Sciences, Inc.)

Moderated by CSIS

Panel Discussion II “Japan’s Agenda and Next Steps for Multi-Stakeholders”

The experts from academia, a patient advocate group, and MHLW had a lively discussion with the moderator on healthcare costs within Japan’s medical system, the system in place to reflect the opinion of patients in policy, and the importance of quality among medical practitioners.

Masako Ii (Professor, Graduate School of Economics, School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University)
Naomi Sakurai (President, Cancer Solutions Co., Ltd. / Patient Representative, Cancer Control Promotion Council)
Masami Sakoi (Director, Medical Economics Division, Health Insurance Bureau, MHLW)

Moderated by HGPI

Closing Address

Dr. Hiromi Mitsubayashi, a member of the House of Representatives and former Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, gave a closing address.

■Summary (Excerpt from the Report)————

Implications for the Future

The issue of containing costs while promoting innovation and ensuring equitable access as well as high quality of care is not unique to Japan. These are wide-ranging challenges being experienced around the globe.
Three potential avenues to explore in pursuit for the above challenges are: moving toward a value-based pricing system, accurately managing and analyzing big data, and adopting new technologies.
In order to accurately price healthcare, particularly for pharmaceutical breakthroughs, governments must understand the multi-stakeholder perspectives on this issue, and evaluate both the costs and public health benefits.
Under a health system that emphasizes equitable access (such as Japan), the focus should be on standardizing and maintaining the quality of care before an attempt to assess the product value.
Involvement of the public (patients) in decision-making and communicating the requisites for an innovative healthcare system to the broader public will be the keys for an efficient delivery of healthcare that meets the public needs.

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For more details of the program, please download the report.

Organizers:

Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Sponsored by:

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)

Authors:

Amina Sugimoto (Senior Associate, HGPI)
Chris Millard (Program Manager & Research Associate, Global Health Policy Center, CSIS)
Yuko Imamura (Senior Associate, HGPI)
Joji Sugawara (Program Specialist, HGPI)
Ryoji Noritake (President, HGPI)
J. Stephen Morrison (Senior Vice President & Director, Global Health Policy Center, CSIS)

■Contact:

Health and Global Policy Institute

Amina Sugimoto/Yuko Imamura

(No particular order, titles omitted)

(Photographed by: Kazunori Izawa)