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Japan has limited scope to respond to the U.S. most-favored-nation (MFN) policy through higher pharmaceutical prices, a senior Ministry of Finance (MOF) official has told Jiho, while backing full implementation of the country’s FY2027 off-year national health insurance (NHI) price revision“There isn’t all that much we can do,” Kentaro Katayama, the MOF’s newly appointed budget examiner responsible for health, labor and welfare and broader social security spending, told Jiho when asked about possible measures under the April 2027 revisionKatayama acknowledged concerns that the U.S. MFN policy could affect access to medicines in Japan, but questioned claims that Japanese drug prices are particularly low compared with other markets. He pointed to arguments that U.S. wholesale acquisition costs can be substantially reduced by rebates paid through pharmacy benefit managers. “We need to calmly discuss, based on data, whether Japanese drug prices really are exceptionally low, including in comparison with Europe,” he said, calling for comparisons based on prices after rebates
The French government has unveiled plans to reform pharmaceutical reimbursement, introduce annual reviews of medicines already covered by national health insurance and implement EUR 1.3B in drug price reductions in 2027, as part of its proposed budget for next yearThe measures form part of the 2027 Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS), which aims to contain healthcare spending while maintaining access to innovative therapies, particularly in oncology, rare diseases, and chronic conditionsOne of the central measures is the introduction of a new pharmaceutical reimbursement "golden rule", intended to ensure that public funding is directed towards treatments offering the greatest clinical value. Under the proposed reform, the National Authority for Health (HAS) would be able to conduct annual reviews of certain reimbursed medicines and issue opinions on whether their continued reimbursement remains justified, taking into account the existing therapeutic alternatives
Last week, NAVLIN Daily brought you key market access developments from across the globe In France, CEPS and the pharmaceutical industry signed a new drug pricing framework through 2030, while the EU Council voted in favor of the pharmaceutical reform package to improve patient access, medicine supply security, and regulatory predictability Germany proposed linking manufacturers’ supplementary rebates to local research, production, investment, and employment, while the G-BA warned that planned AMNOG reforms could increase bureaucracy and drug spending, with a special pathway potentially applying to more than 60% of new active substance assessments
AstraZeneca India got India’s Subject Experts Committee (SEC) permission to import and market camizestrant 75 mg for HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with ESR1 mutations Citing an unmet medical need, the SEC recommended waiving the requirement for a local Phase III clinical trial for the specified indication.The SEC recommended granting permission on the condition that the drug should be sold at retail on the prescription of a medical oncologist, and AstraZeneca must conduct a Phase IV trial and submit the study plan to regulators in three months
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its Medicare Part B Most Favored Nation (MFN) demonstration, the GLOBE Model, but major exemptions and participation carveouts substantially narrow the model’s reachThe final rule excludes biosimilars and their reference biologics, orphan-only drugs, plasma-derived products, certain cell and gene therapies, and any manufacturer participating in the Medicaid-focused GENEROUS ModelReflecting the narrower scope, CMS now expects only four manufacturers to be subject to GLOBE and has reduced its projected savings estimate from $12 billion to $440 million, signaling a more limited impact than originally anticipated
Sweden’s Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) has implemented a package of new rules governing pharmaceutical reimbursement applications, pricing and generic substitutionFrom October 1, three new sets of regulations apply alongside new general reimbursement and pricing guidelines: HSLF-FS 2026:23 on applications for subsidy and pricing, HSLF-FS 2026:14 on the pricing of interchangeable medicines, and HSLF-FS 2026:16 on medicine substitution“The changes are intended to improve access to effective medicines and to ensure that society’s costs for medicines remain reasonable and sustainable over time,” the Agency stated
Japan’s Maruho inked a deal with Taiwan’s Orient EuroPharma (OEP), granting OEP rights to a sweat-reducing treatment for primary axillary hyperhidrosisOEP will market the drug in 10 ASEAN countriesSeveral years ago, Maruho launched the product in Japan under the brand name Rapifort Wipes 2.5%
The industry is bracing for the impact of Korea’s drug pricing reform, which reduces prices for generics and post-patent drugs while rewarding innovationCompanies reliant on generics face steep profit drops, while innovative firms may see relative gains. Profit margins for small and medium-sized firms are at higher risk due to fixed costs and R&D demandsCompanies can offset the reform's impact by exploring overseas markets, licensing technologies, securing CDMO partnerships, launching non-reimbursable products, and leveraging the flexible pricing system, but these strategies involve certain risks
The Council of the European Union adopted the EU pharmaceutical reform package by a 26-0-1 voteThe legislation aims to balance incentives for pharmaceutical innovation with measures to improve patient access, strengthen medicine supply security, and create a more predictable regulatory environment for manufacturersNow that the Council has voted, the European Parliament must formally adopt both the regulation and the directive comprising the package. The Parliament’s vote is expected October 2, 2026
Last week, NAVLIN Daily brought you key market access developments from across the globe In the U.S., new details emerged on MFN drug pricing deals with Pfizer and Eli Lilly, while all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico applied to join the GENEROUS drug pricing modelIn Japan, the medical insurance system has incorporated Amchepry, the first commercialized iPSC-based treatment for Parkinson’s in the world, while China released its 15th Five-Year Plan for its pharmaceutical industry, which sets ambitious goals, including 20% annual growth for innovative drugs and at least five global blockbusters surpassing $1 billion in sales
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