Eucomed waits on Japanese pricing response:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Eucomed still awaits a response from the office of the Japanese health minister Chikara Sakaguchi on whether the Japanese are prepared to show flexibility over the introduction of reference pricing for three categories on medical devices (see Clinica No 994, p 4). The Brussels-based European industry association wrote to the ministry in January in a bid to deflect it from its course of basing local prices on those of a sample of foreign countries. The association is now reflecting on whether to approach DG Trade and complain over what could be perceived as discriminatory action. It says the issue will probably get a fuller airing later this year when DG External Relations revisits its annual Japanese cross-sectoral debate on trade deregulation.