Creating a System for Operating Mobile Pharmacies as a Disaster Response Measure-

Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; Chairman and CEO: Hisashi Ietsugu), the Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society (Office: Kobe, Japan; Chairman: Shuichi Kasai) and Shinkai Transport Systems, Ltd. (HQ: Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Chairperson: Aya Koga) announce the signing of an agreement to cooperate on disaster relief activities, aimed at operating mobile pharmacies in times of disaster.

During the Great East Japan Earthquake, with the drug supply system in the affected region catastrophically damaged, organizations throughout Japan provided personnel support and supplied necessary items, but the region was reportedly unable to take full advantage of these human resources and drugs due to a shortage of dispensing facilities. From this experience, it is clear that a need exists to create an independent drug supply system capable of supplying various types of drugs, such as powdered and liquid medications1, as well as motive power, electricity and dispensing water, when lifelines are severed in times of disaster.

Learning from the experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Miyagi Prefecture Pharmaceutical Association took the lead nationally in developing a “mobile pharmacy,” a vehicle that functioned as a pharmacy in autonomously dispensing and supplying pharmaceuticals. At present, six pharmaceutical associations around Japan have mobile pharmacies.

With efforts underway to set up drug supply systems in Japan to operate in times of disaster, the Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society has drawn on the experiences of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and referenced the activities of mobile pharmacies at evacuation shelters conducted by pharmaceutical associations in Oita, Hiroshima and Wakayama prefectures following the Kumamoto earthquakes. From these experiences, the Society has been considering the creation of a system for operating mobile pharmacies in times of disaster.

To address this situation, Sysmex, Shinkai Transport Systems and the Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society have signed an agreement to cooperate on disaster relief activities. Under this agreement, the parties agree to participate in building a system to operate mobile pharmacies in times of disaster and a structure for operating this system. Going forward, the three organizations will aim to realize a system for smoothly supplying drugs to disaster-affected regions.

Based on this agreement, Sysmex will lend its “Solution Car,” which is normally used to demonstrate in vitro diagnostic instruments, free of charge to the Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society in times of disaster. Shinkai Transport Systems will secure drivers and provide transportation and other facilities required for operating the vehicle.

The Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society will stock the Solution Car with medicine cabinets, powdered medicine packing machines2, liquid medicine dispensing facilities, cold storage containers and other facilities. The result will be a mobile pharmacy capable of autonomously dispensing and supplying drugs in disaster-affected regions.

Going forward, Sysmex will continue to promote corporate citizenship activities aimed at resolving the healthcare issues society faces.