Abstract
RAD-AR Council Japan (RCJ) was established in 1989 by 11 leading R & D-based pharmaceutical companies in Japan. At present, it is managed by 33 companies aiming at conducting two large initiatives, i. e., the introduction and dissemination of pharmacoepidemiology in Japan as a new discipline for analyzing and assessing the risks and benefits of drugs, and the development of various measures, as well as to improve communication between medical providers and consumers. In this article, the fundamental concept of pharmacoepidemiology and, the endeavors of RCJ to this end are described. Although the present situation of pharmacoepidemiology in Japan is deemed as being greatly behind in progress in comparison with foreign countries, its rapid advancement by realizing the computerization and cross-linkage of medical records in the future will be sure to play a vital role for promoting and ensuring better and safer usage of medication.
