Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Head Office, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President, Tatsuo Higuchi; Phone: +81-3-3292-0021) will publish Volume 5 "Future Drugs and Us" of the "OTSUKA New Health Comic Library" in March 2006. This is a comic book that explains "drugs" in an easy and fun-to-read manner, and will be distributed to public and private junior high schools nationwide (approximately 11,000 schools) and overseas Japanese schools (approximately 280 schools). (Supervised by the Japan Medical Association and the Japanese Society of School Health; recommended by the Japan Pediatric Association)

The volume "Future Drugs and Us" enables junior high school students to think about, while enjoying the cartoons, what drugs are, how they are different from general food products, what the roles of drugs are, how we can use drugs properly, how drugs are discovered, how drugs can be advanced, and how drugs can contribute to our health in the future. In addition, the book introduces great scientists who have written important pages in the history of drugs, and provides perspectives on drugs. Thus, allowing a reconsideration of the drugs around us, the book aims to deepen the understanding of drugs from various perspectives.

Moreover, the book shows that it is important to follow the instructions of physicians, who accurately assess the symptoms and pathology of patients, and pharmacists, who are drug specialists, for drugs to exert their effects properly.

The structure of this volume was designed by three specialists in pharmaceutical sciences including Yasufumi Sawada, Professor, Graduate School, the University of Tokyo. This volume consists of 3 books. Each section of the book contains one cartoon from each of 11 famous cartoonists, including Takashi Yanase, Tetsuya Chiba and Fujio Akatsuka. Since the captions of the cartoons appear with English translations, the readers can be exposed to practical English as well.

The following are messages from an editorial member and a cartoonist on the publication of Volume 5 "Future Drugs and Us" of the "OTSUKA New Health Comic Library."

"With the progress in the clarification of the basic structures, functions, etc. of proteins, a greater number of excellent drugs are expected to be available by the time today's children grow up. I want them to adequately learn the importance of the proper use of medications through the Health Comic Book Series, and to become adults who are able to properly receive the benefits of drugs."

"There are many wonders around us. Even those that are thought to be in the natural order of things are a source of wonder, such as how the TV works and how the refrigerator works. The same applies to drugs. I want the readers to try to figure out such wonders themselves, such as why a pain disappears by using a drug, by reading this OTSUKA New Health Comic Library."

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. published a total of 12 volumes of the "OTSUKA Health Comic Library," one volume per year, from 1989 to 2000, and distributed them to public and private elementary schools nationwide (approximately 25,000 schools), aiming at stimulating the interest of 3rd to 6th graders in elementary schools and helping them to enjoy learning about the mechanisms of their bodies and health. In these schools, the books are located in the healthcare room, library and classrooms, and are used not only by children, but also by teachers.

From 2001, publishing of the "OTSUKA New Health Comic Library" started as a new step, targeting junior high school students, who are also in the growth period. To date, Volume 1 "Eating and Nutrition" in 2001, Volume 2 "Discover the Wonders of Our Bodies!" in 2002, Volume 3 "Learn More about Our Bodies" in 2003, and Volume 4 "Bacteria/Viruses and Us" in 2004 have been issued.

All these volumes are located in the healthcare rooms and libraries of junior high schools, allowing students free access to these books. In addition, these books are widely used as teaching materials in classes and have received many favorable comments such as "easy to understand," "fun to read," "enjoyable," and "drawing attention to health."

It will be a source of great pleasure for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to see Volume 5 "Future Drugs and Us" of the "OTSUKA New Health Comic Library" being used to draw children's attention to and deepen their understanding of health.