Is the revised insurance pharmacy treatment rules ordinance already in force in Japan?
No. As of September 9, 2026, the 656th Chuikyo assembly issued the advisory report (toshin) carrying the draft ministerial ordinance (shorei) and public notice (kokuji). The instruments become law only when the MHLW promulgates them in the Kanpo Official Gazette, on the effective date their supplementary provisions fix.
Which Japanese pharmacy operators are most affected by the PMD Act treatment rules revision?
Every insurance pharmacy and insurance pharmacist billing the National Health Insurance is in scope. The nationwide dispensing chains, Ain Pharmaciez, Tsuruha, Welcia, Sugi and Cocokara Fine, carry the largest conformity exposure, because dispensing protocols, billing system configurations and pharmacist training must be realigned to the revised rules.
What does the PMD Act revision change for insurance pharmacists?
The revised PMD Act shifts the regulatory emphasis for insurance pharmacies from a dispensing-focused model to a health-support-focused model. The draft ordinance and notice set out the treatment-rule conditions under which pharmacists provide health support services and how those services are billed.
What is the next regulatory step after the Chuikyo advisory report?
The MHLW finalises and promulgates the ministerial ordinance (shorei) and public notice (kokuji) in the Kanpo Official Gazette. The same 656th assembly also moved the creation of a partial out-of-insurance treatment category, so pharmacy teams should track both instruments.