The Definition of Self-Mediation by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan: Its influences on Health-Related Behaviours
Kohei Hayashi
Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 9-26
First Published: March 30, 2020
[Japanese]
Abstract
Self-medication and self-care are important issues from the standpoint of curtailing government expenditure on healthcare, and have been recommended by WHO since 1998. In Japan, for the purpose of promoting it, the “self-medication tax deduction” system kicked off on Jan 1, 2017. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare referred to “taking responsibility for their own health” as an element of the definition of self-medication, quoting the document by WHO, but no statement to that effect was confirmed in it. This passage demonstrates the possible outcome of underlining self-responsibility for their own health when the “self-medication tax deduction” system is informed.
