A delegation of Nippon Pharmacy Association (NPhA) Executive Board Members was in Singapore recently to meet with Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore.

Led by NPhA Chairman, Mr. Suzaki, the delegation was here to study the pharmacy practice system and healthcare financing model in Singapore. Having visited Europe and US recently, they have chosen Singapore and Korea as Asian models they intended to study in a little more details. The rising healthcare costs in Japan and the rapidly aging population have been major concerns for the healthcare system; and through such study visits, NPhA hopes to better prepare and strategize their positions in the ever evolving healthcare needs of Japanese people.

NPhA's main objectives are to advocate the professional interests of insurance pharmacies and promote the role of its members in the health system in Japan, including areas where National Health Insurance funding is disbursed.

The current membership of NPhA stands at 256 corporate members, covering some 5,686 pharmacies throughout Japan and close to 25,000 pharmacists. There are also 154 Supporting Members comprising businesses that are involved in logistics, warehousing and distribution of pharmaceuticals.  Some of the key statistics are as follows:

Number of Regular Members      256
Annual sales from dispensing      ￥872 bil. (about S$12 bil.)
Total number of Pharmacists      24,473
Number of dispensing outlets (including partial dispensing outlets)  5,686
Number of Supporting Members      154
TOTAL NUMBER OF MEMBERS     410

PSS team was led by our President Mr. Ng Cheng Tiang and 6 other Council members. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and lasted about 1½ hours. The session concluded with a group photo and an invitation by the NPhA Chairman to PSS Council to attend their next year’s Pharmacy Forum in November 2007 to be held in Kobe, Japan.

Mr. Suzaki (third from R) with his delegation taking a group photo with PSS representatives.

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