- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] On MFDS’s new drug management team
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Mar 6, 2024 06:03am
- A new drug management support team will be established under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau. According to the 'Partial Amendment of the Enforcement Rules of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and its Affiliated Institutions' that was released by the MFDS on February 7, the MFDS will newly establish a d
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Long-awaited, but not prescribed?
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Feb 8, 2024 05:49am
- Even though the only existing treatment on the planet has finally been approved for reimbursement in Korea, prescribers are hesitant to introduce the drug to their institutions due to concerns over incurring losses if the costly drugs are not used. These are drugs that have gained much attention since approval. The drugs showed outstandin
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Handling AI-collected ‘cancer info’
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Feb 6, 2024 06:10am
- Medical AI company Lunit announced on the 5th that it will be participating in the establishment of an internet-only bank. Lunit will join the U-BANK consortium, including Lendit, Jobis & Villains, Travel Wallet, and Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance, to establish Korea’s fourth internet-only bank. An interesting part of the information
- Opinion
- [Desk’s View] New principles rouse moral responsibility
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Feb 6, 2024 06:10am
- The government’s reevaluation of approved and listed drugs is in full swing. The stated purpose is to filter out ineffective drugs and provide coverage to better ones. As this is very necessary for the public, it is the government's responsibility to fulfill this task. The reevaluation is being conducted omnidirectionally by the Ministry
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Restructuring in pharmaceutical industry
- by Son, Hyung-Min Feb 5, 2024 07:27pm
- Korea’s biopharmaceutical industry is facing corporate restructuring. Both global and Korean pharmaceutical companies are undergoing aggressive employee reductions. AstraZeneca Korea is implementing a voluntary resignation as a follow-up measure related to the withdrawal of Forxiga, a diabetes treatment, from the Korean market. The com
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View] Conglomerates expanding into the pharma
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Jan 26, 2024 05:51am
- M&A activities have made headlines in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology (pharma and biotech) industries in early 2024. Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a leader in the Korean pharmaceutical industry, has officially confirmed its merger with OCI group, a chemical company. Additionally, Orion has acquired LegoChem Biosciences, a globally recognized
- 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
