Japan Launches Electronic Prescriptions Nationwide

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)--Japan on Thursday put into service its electronic prescription system allowing prescriptions by doctors to be shared online with pharmacies.

Through the system, the health ministry aims to prevent duplications and errors as pharmacists are now able to check what drugs have been prescribed to patients. Doctors will still continue to issue prescriptions on paper as well.

Doctors register prescription information of patients online, and pharmacists check the prescriptions through the screen of a device.

The information is managed in a special server by the government. Patients can receive their prescribed drugs at pharmacies by presenting their My Number personal identification cards or health insurance cards.

The system enables the unified centralization of prescription information. Even if patients are issued multiple prescriptions from multiple hospitals, the system will help prevent duplications and dangerous combinations of drugs.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]