Currently, while digital health is very prevalent in the West, it is still at an infant stage in Japan. However, this is changing now. In 2020, a startup in Japan called Cure Up received regulatory approval for its nicotine addiction treatment. Also, Welldoc has a product called Blue Star which is used for diabetes patients. Welldoc has teamed up with Astellas Pharma (Japan) to help diabetes patients manage their blood sugar levels and also makes recommendations for medications, food, and fitness. Finally, several years ago, Akili set up a venture with Shionogi to help Japanese children with ADHD, via action video games.
Digital health, including areas like mobile health, health IT, telemedicine, and wearable devices can in some cases be better to diagnose and treat diseases. Some digital health products are now getting Japanese government reimbursement.
Written by: Ames Gross – President and Founder, Pacific Bridge Medical (PBM)
Mr. Gross founded PBM in 1988 and has helped hundreds of medical companies with business development and regulatory issues in Asia. He is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in the Asian medical markets. Mr. Gross has a BA degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Columbia University.