A consortium comprising of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka), KAKEHASHI Inc. (KAKEHASHI) and AEON RETAIL Co., Ltd. (AEON RETAIL), has been selected as the operator of a proof-of-concept project for the 2023 "Model Project for the Promotion of PHR Services^*1" promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Through this, the consortium aims to realize "a healthcare service that improves health without conscious effort," and has started a demonstration project at AEON pharmacies in Tokyo from October.

In Japan, where there is a universal health insurance system, personal expenditure on health enhancement and preventive services remains uncommon. However, significant opportunities are seen for a future in which PHR (Personal Health Records)^*2 data is connected with various industries related to daily life to create new categories of personalized health services. In this project promoted by METI, a model project will be carried out in which multiple organizations working in industries related to diet, exercise, sleep, etc., collaborate to utilize PHR to develop new solutions.

KAKEHASHI
KAKEHASHI will provide the pharmacy experience assistant Musubi ,^*3 and the patient follow-up system Pocket Musubi^*4 (available via LINE), supporting communication between pharmacists and patients.
Otsuka
Through the personalized healthcare support service eichiru, Otsuka will offer continuous healthcare recommendations tailored to each individual patient.
AEON RETAIL
Pharmacists at 18 AEON pharmacies located in Tokyo will provide health advice to patients using the services Musubi and eichiru.

The healthcare service offered by the consortium will involve pharmacists at AEON pharmacies using the pharmacy experience assistant Musubi and the patient follow-up system Pocket Musubi to offer healthcare recommendations to customers through the eichiru service. The aim is to support users in improving lifestyle habits and foster an environment that promotes better health. This service has been chosen as the model project by METI as it aligns closely with the program's goals. Based on prescription information and survey data regarding lifestyle habits, continuous, personalized suggestions will be made to promote improved health and prevent severe diseases, and in this way demonstrate a healthcare service that improves health without conscious effort.

The eichiru service is a two-way communication system that provides personalized information to support the improvement of the long-term health of individuals. It is based on responses to a questionnaire and grounded in scientific expertise, and is developed under the concept of "aggregating wisdom" (eichi in Japanese) and "acquiring knowledge" (eru in Japanese). Since the launch of our service in May 2022, it has been shown that eichiru has contributed to the improvement of health literacy among individuals, encouraging behavioral changes.

Based on the corporate philosophy of 'Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide,' Otsuka Pharmaceutical continues to contribute to the health and well being of people around the world.