Understanding the Actual Use of Anti-HIV Drugs in Japan from 2016 to 2019: Demonstrating Epidemiological Relevance of NDB Open Data Japan for Understanding Japanese Medical Care

Abstract

The National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB) Open Data Japan is helpful for attaining simple and comprehensive understanding of medical care in Japan. Herein, we investigated the transition of anti-HIV-drug use in Japan over a 4-year period from fiscal year (FY) 2016 to FY 2019 using data on anti-HIV drugs that were extracted from the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th NDB Open Data Japan. Then, the data were stratified by mechanism of action, single-tablet regimen (STR) or non-STR, age groups, and sex and analyzed. Throughout the study period, the prescription volume for tenofovir alafenamide fumarate as the backbone drug and integrase strand transfer inhibitors as the anchor drug increased. In FY 2019, STRs constituted approximately 44% of the total combination antiretroviral therapy regimens, 1.6 times higher than that in FY 2016 (27%). With the advent of newer drugs and regimens, the differences in anti-HIV drugs prescribed to patients of different ages and sex gradually diminished; however, differences were unremarkable in the first period, especially between sexes. The NDB Open Data Japan made it relatively easy to evaluate recent trends in anti-HIV prescription in Japan, indicating its usefulness for continuous surveys in this field.