The Japanese government has established the Agency for Medical Research and Development ("AMED") to promote medical research and development more efficiently and comprehensively. AMED is intended as a means to overcome the shortcomings of the former system wherein three ministries were subsidizing medical research and development separately. AMED seeks to implement comprehensive change at all levels of medical research and development, from basic science to the implementation of practical applications. AMED has begun operations with approximately 300 personnel and a budget of about 125 billion yen for the 2015 fiscal year, which will be invested in creating innovative pharmaceuticals and competitive medical devices, developing regenerative products, and promoting co-research on genomic medicine to overcome diseases.
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