The use of hypnotic drugs during the postpartum period in Japan remains unclear. This study investigated the use of hypnotic drugs during the first two weeks of the early postpartum period, including the reasons for prescription and the occurrence of adverse events. Patient backgrounds, hypnotic drug used, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores, and adverse reactions were investigated retrospectively investigated using patient medical records. Of the 1893 puerperal women admitted during the study period, 52 (2.9%) used hypnotic drugs during the first two weeks postpartum and were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 33.2 years, including 38 (73.1%) participants who underwent caesarean section deliveries. Insomnia and anxiety were the combined reasons for hypnotic drug use for 42 (80.8%) patients. Additionally, 48 patients used a single hypnotic drug, 2 patients used a combination of two drugs, and 2 patients changed from one hypnotic drug to another during the two-week period. Of the 56 drugs used, zolpidem was the most commonly used drug (n=35 (62.5%)), followed by brotizolam (n=10 (17.9%)), lenvorexant (n=6 (10.7%)), eszopiclone (n=3 (5.4%)), and suvorexant and etizolam (n=1 (1.8%)). Furthermore, 18 (42.9%) patients had an EPDS score of ≥9 at either the 2-week or 1-month follow-up visit. One case of infant apnea was observed in an infant of a patient prescribed zolpidem prior to delivery, and in one case of dizziness in a patient prescribed lenborexant. No other adverse effects were reported. Improved mother and child safety information and safer use of hypnotic drugs are desirable.

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The increase in national health care costs is a challenge arising from advances in medical care and an aging population. To control these costs, the government initiated the Selective Care System for brand-name drugs (long-listed products) with generic equivalents (GE) in October 2024. Therefore, we conducted a survey to examine changes in the GE usage rate in insurance pharmacies after the implementation of the Selective Care System, as well as the status of explanations of Selective Care by pharmacists. As a result, despite the fact that the total number of prescriptions has increased by approximately 7% year-on-year since October 2024, the GE utilization rate increased to 91.2% on average for all of the stores three months after the start of the Selective Care System, the largest ever. Regional differences in the GE use rate between Saitama and Tokyo showed a slight difference in regard to the process of the increase, but in Saitama, the GE use rate significantly increased year-on-year (p=0.034) from October 2024, when the Selective Care System started, and in Tokyo, the rate significantly increased year-on-year (p<0.001) two months later, thus indicating that the Selective Care System Both showed a significant increase from the previous year within three months of the start of the system. This suggested that the Selective Care System had an impact on GE usage. The GE usage rate may have been influenced not only by patients' concerns about rising out-of-pocket medical expenses due to the start of the system but also by pharmacists explaining the system and GE to approximately 2,500 patients who wanted to select brand-name drugs under the Selective Care System. Considering the constraints on healthcare finances, shifting the healthcare system to using GE, including AG, is desirable once brand name drug patents have expired.

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National healthcare costs continue to rise. In recent years, high drug prices of biopharmaceuticals have contributed to increasing medical expenses. Consequently, research and development of biosimilars has been promoted, with the government frequently amending laws to promote their use. To analyze trends in biosimilar usage, we investigated the National Data Base Open Data published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Our findings revealed that the prescription volumes of biosimilars showed a year-on-year increase. We hypothesized that the approval and launch dates of biosimilars, along with the introduction of generic drugs, may have affected the percentage of use. Furthermore, the healthcare system revisions implemented in 2022 suggest that the increased usage of biosimilars, such as Darbepoetin Alfa, in FY2022 may have had an impact.

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This study examined cat owners’ risk perceptions and household management practices regarding hazardous substances to explore the supportive role of pharmacists. In August 2025, an online survey was conducted among 360 cat owners using a research monitor. The questionnaire assessed the recognition of various hazards, including Liliaceae plants, human medications, and common household products, along with pet care practices, medication storage habits, and previous experiences or future expectations regarding information provided by pharmacists. The results revealed a significant bias in the perception of toxicity risks. Although widely publicized hazards, such as chocolate and insecticides, were highly recognized, awareness was notably lower for non-food risks, including acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, essential oils, and detergents. Regarding Liliaceae plants, knowledge and action had a strong correlation; owners who were well aware of the risks were significantly more likely to implement preventive measures such as avoiding indoor floral arrangements or verifying toxicity before a purchase. Furthermore, owners who exhibited high safety standards in managing food and plants demonstrated more rigorous medication management, such as storing oral drugs in elevated areas and securing topical treatments, suggesting that a safety-oriented mindset tends to translate across household domains. Crucially, although only 0.6% of the respondents (n=2) had previously received information from a pharmacist, participants identified medication storage and emergency response protocols for accidental ingestion as key areas for future assistance. These findings suggest that pharmacists can provide vital information on primary prevention. By utilizing medication counseling and over-the-counter consultations to raise awareness of household hazards, pharmacists can effectively promote proactive risk-mitigation behaviors. Enhancing these efforts through the distribution of educational leaflets, organizing public seminars, and closer collaboration with veterinary professionals could significantly improve the safety and well-being of companion animals in domestic environments.

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Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer often face challenges due to their treatment coinciding with major life milestones such as starting college, securing employment, or getting married. Such occasions can be disrupted profoundly by their medical journey and aggressive treatments that often result in visible changes in appearance including hair loss, skin discoloration, weight fluctuations etc., causing significant psychological distress and limited social interactions. AYA patients with cancer in home care require individualized multidisciplinary support to face life challenges related to school, work, marriage, pregnancy, and childcare. Cancer treatment-induced appearance changes are mainly due to chemotherapy side effects. Although pharmacists’ role in managing chemotherapy prescriptions is well-documented in literature, to the best of our knowledge, no studies exist on their appearance care interventions for AYA patients with cancer. To investigate this, we conducted in-depth interviews with 11 multidisciplinary home healthcare professionals, focusing on the role of pharmacists in the appearance care for AYA patients with cancer during their home-based therapy. Sixty-minute semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants in person or via Zoom. The interviews covered the participants’ responses to patients’ appearance change concerns, necessary support initiatives, and pharmacists’ appearance care interventions for AYA patients with cancer. Recorded with consent, transcripts were summarized by question, categorized by themes, and annotated with representative responses. Responses showed pharmacists often collaborate on common symptoms like nausea, numbness, and fatigue, while promoting medication adherence. However, challenges include: "Few show interest in appearance-related care" and "They rarely discuss hair loss or body image." Experts recommend regular check-ins, empathetic side-effect info, and appearance support, plus societal awareness via cancer education. Pharmacists should expand to holistic side-effect management, raising community awareness through pharmacy advice.

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This study aimed to clarify the current status of medication adherence and the perceived burden related to medication use among dialysis patients, and to examine the association between the presence of medication burden and patient background factors. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was administered to 64 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Survey items included age, sex, hemodialysis duration, presence of diabetes mellitus, number of prescribed medications, daily dosing frequency, perceived burden of medication use, adherence to prescribed regimens, need for support from healthcare professionals, and changes in body weight before and after dialysis. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of a perceived medication burden, and background factors were compared between the groups. The mean age of the participants was 72.9 ± 11.4 years, and the mean duration of dialysis was 115.1 ± 111.2 months. The average number of prescribed medications was 10.6 ± 3.6, and the mean daily dosing frequency was 4.4 ± 1.8 times. Twenty-three patients (35.9%) reported experiencing burden related to medication use. No statistically significant differences were observed between the burden and non-burden groups in any of the evaluated factors. These findings suggest that the medication-related burden among dialysis patients may not be fully explained by objective background factors, such as age or number of medications. There

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To identify determinants of the pharmacokinetic parameters for a total of 62 heart failure drugs and their active metabolites available in Japanese healthcare settings, data on the following pharmacokinetic parameters were collected from healthy adults: bioavailability (F), urinary excretion rate of unchanged drug (Ae), volume of distribution (Vd(p)), total body clearance (CLtot(p)), fraction unbound in plasma/serum (fuP), and blood-to-plasma drug concentration ratio (B/P). Complete data on F, Ae, Vd(p), CLtot(p), and fuP were available for 26 of the 62 drugs; however, data from official/semi-official sources in Japan were available for only 14 of the 26 drugs. To identify the determinants of clearance and volume of distribution, the clearance and volume of distribution values calculated from the whole blood drug concentrations are fundamental. The B/P required for the estimation was measured or estimated for 19 drugs. Both the determinants of clearance and volume of distribution were identified for 15 drugs. There were 26 binding-sensitive (S) drugs (fuP < 0.2) and 21 binding-insensitive (IS) drugs (fuP > 0.2). Of the S drugs, unbound drug concentrations or fuP values had been measured in pharmacokinetic studies conducted in patients with organ dysfunction for only 3 drugs (dapagliflozin, vericiguat, and tolvaptan). As for the IS drugs, pharmacokinetic studies in patients with organ dysfunction had been conducted for only 4 drugs. We found some problems in the “Precautions for use” section. One of these problems is a lack of information based on the specific results of pharmacokinetic studies for drugs for which dosing regimen adjustments are described from the viewpoint of pharmacokinetics.

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