- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] KRPIA's new BOD signifies fresh starts
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jan 25, 2024 05:49am
- Following its fresh start with new staff members and a restructured board of directors, KRPIA is stabilizing its operations. Previously, Korean Research-based Pharmaceutical Industry Association (KRPIA) faced increasing concerns regarding its operations, primarily involving leadership vacancy. The decrease in the number of board members c
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Supply disruptions disclosed in real-time
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Jan 24, 2024 05:46am
- As of January 10, it became possible to view the list of medicines that are at risk of short shortages or interruptions in real time. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has improved the quarterly drug manufacture, import, and supply interruption information system on the Nedrug webpage to allow real-time updates. As a result, not
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Forxiga withdrawal raises concern
- by Son, Hyung-Min Jan 19, 2024 05:44am
- AstraZeneca, the UK-based global pharmaceutical company, is withdrawing its diabetes treatment Forxiga (ingredient: dapagliflozin) from the Korean market, ten years since its approval in 2013 in Korea. Initially approved as SGLT-2 inhibitor-class diabetes treatment, Forxiga achieved success as its indications were expanded to include condi
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] HIRA's role in managing high-priced drugs
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Jan 15, 2024 05:36am
- In 2012, Soliris, a treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), was listed for reimbursement in Korea. The drug, which cost more than KRW 5 million per vial and up to KRW 500 million for a year's supply, sparked controversy over "ultra-high-priced drugs” at the time. Since then, drugs more expensive than Soliris were introdu
- Opinion
- [Reporter's View] GOV takes measures to stabilize supply
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Jan 11, 2024 05:45am
- To resolve the issue of medicines supply instability, the government has announced a plan to conduct a field investigation of pharmacies and hospitals that engage in stockpiling of drugs, in collaboration with a local government starting in January. This is the government’s first active involvement in checking nursing homes and taking adm
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Be generous and provide tangible benefits
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jan 10, 2024 05:42am
- Expectations of pharmaceutical companies that own new drugs have been rising in the light of the new year. The reason for this is the ‘Plan for Appropriate Compensation of the Innovative Value of New Drugs' that the government announced at the end of last year. According to the announcement, the government will grant reimbursement for in
- Opinion
- [Reporter's View] No regulatory innovation, no future
- by Son, Hyung-Min Jan 8, 2024 06:09am
- The importance of Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCT) through digital biomarkers in developing digital therapeutics (DTx) is gaining attention. Biomarkers are usually indicators used to detect changes within one’s body, using proteins, DNA, RNA, metabolites, etc. Digital biomarkers are an extension of this concept and refer to biomarkers
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s view] Expanded catastrophic medical expenses
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Dec 22, 2023 05:47am
- Among foreigners, the saying, "If you are ill, you should go to Korea," had once become a trend. Foreigners that stay in the country for over 6 months are eligible for the National Health Insurance subscription as a local subscriber, allowing them to receive reimbursement benefits. This issue has been a topic of heated debate during the annu
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s view] Dilemma of compassionate use
- by Son, Hyung-Min Dec 20, 2023 05:41am
- Recently, certain global pharmaceutical companies have decided to discontinue compassionate use of its drugs, which permits patients access to investigational drugs, following the official approval of these drugs in Korea.. Consequently, patients without alternative treatment options are left with no choice but to obtain the drugs at a no
- Opinion
- [Reporter's view] Bothered by the PE exemption system
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Dec 20, 2023 05:40am
- The pharmacoeconomic evaluation exemption system is receiving much scrutiny. Under the pretense of improving the system, there are growing voices in favor of reducing of the system, supporting its reduced and limited application. These discussions reached culmination in a session titled, ‘On improving the pharmacoeconomic evaluation exem
