The 145th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (Fukuoka)

Organizer: Taeyuki Oshima (Colleage of Pharm, Kinjo Gakuin Univ.)

This symposium discusses challenges facing the pharmacy profession in Japan, particularly as the country approaches the year 2040, when the population of elderly people is expected to peak. According to a projection by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare published in 2021, by 2040, Japan could have a surplus of more than 100,000 pharmacists. This period is identified as a significant turning point. This symposium referenced in the document aims to address the "2040 problem," asking if pharmacists can survive in the evolving healthcare environment. It emphasizes the significant changes and challenges facing the pharmacy profession due to events in 2024, including the "triple revision" and Amazon's entry into the pharmaceutical market. It also highlights the necessity of digital transformation (DX) in dispensing operations, the expansion of OTC (over-the-counter) sales, and the growing role of pharmacists in home healthcare.
These shifts will require pharmacists to broaden their responsibilities and contribute more to society, which will also drive changes in pharmaceutical education. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been encouraging pharmacists to take proactive steps since 2019, aiming to foster a new generation of pharmacists capable of shaping their profession by 2040. This symposium aims to create a stir from the perspectives of "universities," "pharmacies," and "hospital pharmacy departments."