Ono Pharmaceuticals' colorectal cancer drug Braftovi (encorafenib) has been recognized as appropriate for reimbursement by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Evaluation Committee 18 months after it passed the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)'s Cancer Disease Review Committee.The commit
Amid the signs of Covid-19’s resurgence, the medical community calls for prudence in adjusting its infectious disease status and easing quarantine measures.On Thursday, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) president visited the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and called for a caut
For Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients to get reimbursement when they use Spinraza (nusinersen), it has become essential to prove the maintenance of the drug’s motor function, according to an insurance reviewing agency.The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) recently released t
Amid the signs of a resurgent Covid-19 pandemic, the government has begun to prepare for lowing it from a level-2 to a level-4 infectious disease. However, the government will carefully determine the timing of the transition after consulting with experts."We will continue to manage the quarantine si
A provision of the Medical Service Act that banned the sexual identification of fetuses has been brought back to the Constitutional Court. It is the second time since it was ruled unconstitutional in 2008.According to the medical community, the Constitutional Court is hearing a constitutional challe
The government has begun to discard many expired Covid-19 vaccines, raising criticism about failing to forecast demands correctly.According to data from the National Assembly's Budget Office, the budget for the Covid-19 vaccination program last year amounted to 3.2 trillion won ($2.5 billion). Of th
The share prices of Covid-19 diagnostic kit makers are rising amid concerns about the resurgence of the virus.As of 11:10 a.m., Seegene was trading at 23,350 won ($18.36), up 8.86 percent from the previous trading day. Stocks of other diagnostic kit makers also rose, as shown by SD Biosensor (11,800
Hospitals made about 60,000 illegal prescriptions for medical narcotics and other restricted drugs in the wake of the telemedicine, temporarily allowed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, a lawmaker said.Rep. In Jae-geun of the Democratic Party of Korea released the report on Friday based on his a
A clinical study has won regulatory approval to treat patients with extensive-disease (ED) small cell lung cancer (SCLC) by using self-derived natural killer (NK) cells in combination with chemotherapy.The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday that it decided to approve the trial at the seventh
Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization (Korea BIO) said on Thursday that it sincerely welcomed the government's revision of the tax law to support global competitiveness in the biopharmaceutical sector.Currently, national strategic technologies include only vaccines in the bio sector, but the rev
Jung Ki-suck, the new president of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), has revealed his intention to change the overall reimbursement system to prevent erosion in the coverage of essential medical services.For instance, Jung will increase reimbursements for surgeries and other medical prac
"Each country has different and complex food, medical and pharmaceutical regulations. Depending on whether they have a memorandum of understanding with foreign regulatory agencies, there is a big difference in information sharing and cooperation. Therefore, the Global Policy and Strategy for Food an
Korea’s health level, access to healthcare, hospital beds, and medical equipment are higher than the OECD average, but its numbers of clinicians and nurses are lower, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare Tuesday.The ministry said so based on its analysis of the Organization for Economic C
In Korea, patients with cancer and other rare and serious diseases pay only 5-10 percent of the total medical costs for five years from the first day of the diagnosis under the national health insurance program.However, even after the five-year period ends, cancer patients should be allowed to pay l
Despite Korea's plans to treat Covid-19 similarly to influenza and discontinue case counting as early as next month, the pandemic has resurged recently.Last week, the number of new cases increased by about 40 percent compared to the week before, with the number of daily cases surpassing 40,000 for t
The Ministry of Health and Welfare will subsidize one public and one private general hospital in the non-Seoul metro region capable of performing epilepsy surgery to introduce robotic equipment.The ministry will receive applications from non-Seoul hospitals wanting to use surgical robots for epileps
Experts pointed out that it is urgent to match technology demanders and suppliers to develop the AI-based drug development ecosystem.The Korea Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPBMA) held the second meeting of the AI-based New Drug Development Council on Wednesday to d
After a second-year elementary school teacher took her own life, psychiatrists called for a psychological support system for teachers. They pointed out that teachers are "emotional workers" who need attention and care for their mental health.On Tuesday, a teacher in her 20s was found dead at Seoyi E
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
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