Kampo - Approved Kampo Medicines

Approved Kampo Medicines

Today in Japan, Kampo is integrated into the national health care system. In 1967, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved four kampo medicines for reimbursement under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program. In 1976, 82 kampo medicines were approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Currently, 148 kampo medicines are approved for reimbursement; this is due to an initiative by Taro Takemi in 1976, which led to 147 medicines being approved for reimbursement.

Rather than modifying formulae as in Traditional Chinese medicine, the Japanese kampo tradition uses fixed combinations of herbs in standardized proportions according to the classical literature of Chinese medicine. Kampo medicines are produced by various manufacturers. However, each medicine is composed of exactly the same ingredients under the Ministry's standardization methodology. The medicines are therefore prepared under strict manufacturing conditions that rival pharmaceutical companies. In October 2000, a nationwide study reported that 72% of registered physicians prescribe kampo medicines. New Kampo medicines are being evaluated using modern techniques to evaluate their mechanism of action.

Regulations, and likewise safety precautions, are much stronger and tighter for Japanese Kampo than Chinese traditional medicine due to strict enforcement of laws and standardization.There are questions as to whether similar safety exists of Kampo medicines produced and sold outside Japan.