Regional disparities in the provision of advanced services by community pharmacies in Japan
Kazuya Nonomura1,2, Kazuya Toyama1, Hirofumi Tamaki1, Arihiro Osanai1, Mitsuhiro Nakamura3, Kazuhiro Iguchi1★★ Corresponding author
- 1Laboratory of Community Pharmacy, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1–25–4 Daigaku–nishi, Gifu 501–1196, Japan.
- 2Mamiya Dispensing Pharmacy, 2–15 Kiyozumi–cho, Gifu 500–8178, Japan.
- 3Laboratory of Drug Informatics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1–25–4 Daigaku–nishi, Gifu 501–1196, Japan.
CORRESPONDENCE
Kazuhiro Iguchi
Professor, Laboratory of Community Pharmacy, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1–25–4 Daigaku–nishi, Gifu 501–1196, Japan.
Received: 15-04-2026; Accepted: 04-06-2026.
Volume 24, Issue 3 · pp. 3543 · PUBLISHED Jul-Sep 2026 · DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2026.3.3543
ABSTRACT
Aim/Background: In Japan, each prefecture formulates a “Medical Care Plan” according to the basic policies established by the national government; however, this has led to inter-prefectural disparities and concerns about unequal access to medical care. In Japan’s super-aged society, demand has increased for home-healthcare and aseptic preparation services provided by community pharmacies. This study aimed to analyze the current situation in each prefecture using NDB Open Data and identify disparities between the actual number of service provisions and the estimated demand, thereby supporting the development of regional healthcare systems to meet the rising need for home-healthcare and aseptic preparation services. Materials and Methods: The number of service provisions was determined using NDB Open Data, and the demand for each service was estimated based on population and medical-expenditure data. Gini coefficients were calculated to evaluate the regional disparities. Results: Gini coefficients for the provision of home-healthcare and aseptic preparation services per estimated unit demand were 0.3052 and 0.2882, respectively, indicating substantial disparities across prefectures. Conclusion: This study revealed notable inter-prefectural disparities in the provision of advanced pharmacy services when evaluated based on estimated demand. These findings provide evidence that can inform policy measures aimed at reducing disparities to advanced pharmacy services.
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Nonomura, K., Toyama, K., Tamaki, H., Osanai, A., Nakamura, M., & Iguchi, K. (2026). Regional disparities in the provision of advanced services by community pharmacies in Japan. Pharmacy Practice, 24(3), 3543. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2026.3.3543