Ten years after a value-added tax was imposed on cosmetic surgery, there are calls for abolishing it, saying the nation should reflect the changed perceptions and values of cosmetic surgery on it.The Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons issued a press release on Thursday, calling for the abolition
Recently, a district court acquitted a hairdresser in her 40s accused of performing eyebrow tattooing procedures, including semi-permanent eyebrow makeup, in violation of the Medical Service Act, contradicting the existing legal theory.The legal basis for “tattooing is medical practice” can be found
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) said Friday that it published a guideline regarding the clinical pharmacological considerations for antibody-drug conjugate (ADCs) to help Korean companies enter early-stage clinical trials.ADCs have recently emerged as an essential platform for developing
SK chemicals said Thursday that it signed a global contract manufacturing organization (CMO) agreement with AstraZeneca for the supply of Sidapvia. Sidapvia is a combination of Forxiga (ingredient: dapagliflozin) and sitagliptin, approved in Korea to treat type 2 diabetes in adults aged 18 years and
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has decided to fine a total of 40.9 billion won ($32.2 million) on 32 companies, including GSK Korea, Yuhan Corp., GC, and SK discovery, for colluding in 170 vaccine tenders ordered by the Public Procurement Service for more than six years.One vaccine maker (GSK), six
Targeted cancer therapies such as T cell bispecific antibodies, sometimes called bispecific T cell engagers, have been attracting more attention for their ability to hone in on the cancerous cells, and domestic companies are ready to get in on the action.Last year, the U.S. FDA approved Immunocore’s
In partnership with Korea’s telco giant KT, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH), has harnessed advanced information and communication technology to construct an exceptional smart hospital based on a 5G-specialized network.While the hospital has a long-term plan to transform itself int
Korean biopharmaceutical companies are entering the “senior business,” including medical and care services for older adults, preparing for the nation’s transition to a super-aging society.According to Statistics Korea, it is predicted that by 2025, the nation will enter a super-aged society where 20
Osang Healthcare (OHC), which recently signed a comprehensive business cooperation agreement with Yuhan Corp., has emerged as the second largest shareholder of one of the latter’s subsidiaries.Osang Healthcare said Thursday that the company has completed paying money for the three-party capital incr
Waycen’s artificial intelligence solution to help gastric cancer diagnosis has been designated as an innovative medical device.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) said Wednesday that it has designated Waycen’s gastric cancer image detection and diagnosis aid software, WAYMED Endo ST CS, as t
The recent mislabeling of medicines by Hyundai Pharm and other incidents of drug mix-ups are threatening consumers’ health, consumer groups said.Issuing a statement Wednesday, the Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty (CUCS), a consumer advocacy group, criticized Hyundai Pharm’s labeling errors,
The quality of pediatric emergency medical care has declined due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as shown by the young patients’ extended stays at emergency rooms and their increased transfers to other ERs, a study showed.Dr. Sung Ho-kyung, a specialist in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Big
Myongji Hospital said that Professor Lee Min-kyung of the Department of Endocrinology was recently awarded the Young Excellent Award at the 55th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japan Atherosclerosis Society, held from July 8-9.Professor Lee received the award after presenting her study, titled “Cum
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) said on Thursday that it published three English guidelines related to digital therapeutics (DTx) and artificial intelligence (AI)-based medical devices.In particular, the documents include guidance on the review and approval of AI-based medical devices an
The world has been buzzing about aspartame, a synthetic sweetener, since June 29 when Reuters broke the news that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), decided to add aspartame to its carcinogen classification. Aspartame joined the exist
South Korea, infamous for having the highest suicide rate among OECD countries, faces another crisis as suicide rates among migrant workers continue to increase.From 2016 to 2020, a total of 46 migrant workers in the Employment Permit System (EPS) died by suicide. According to statistics released by
Astellas Korea has officially launched Padcev (ingredient: enfortumab vedotin), which treats locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.Padcev, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets Nectin-4, received approval from the Ministry of Drug Safety as a monotherapy in March. It has a categor
A panel of experts in pathology emphasized the need to improve institutional support to address reimbursement issues, data storage, and sharing of pathological-related data in hospitals so that digital pathology can be widely implemented.The Korean Society of Pathology (KSP) and the Korea Medical De
Pfizer's first-in-class CDK4/6 inhibitor, Ibrance (palbociclib), has received an expanded indication in Korea.It can now be used as first-line endocrine therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has refuted criticism that patients suffer due to its hasty recall of an epilepsy drug.In a news release on Tuesday, the ministry said it was aware of the shortage of Sanofi's epilepsy and infantile spasms drug Sabril (vigabatrin) and would supply a large