An opposition lawmaker pushes to expand the number of medical institutions that can provide CAR-T therapies, including Kymriah, to treat cancer patients.Rep. Shin Hyun-young of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) submitted a bill to amend the Act on Safety and Support for Advanced Regenerative Medic
The Ministry of Health and Welfare will expand the number of medical institutions subject to deploying dedicated staff for patient safety staff from 25 percent to 40 percent by 2027.On Thursday, the ministry held the 14th National Patient Safety Committee and approved the 2nd Patient Safety Comprehe
The incidence of suspected influenza (flu) cases surged to a five-year high in the second week of December in Korea, particularly impacting children and adolescents, the Korean health authorities said on Friday. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the rate of patient
Korea's injury-related medical expenses reached 5.3 trillion won ($4.9 billion) in 2021, the highest in a decade, according to a survey.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Thursday that it is publishing the 13th National Injury Statistics in collaboration with 13 other agenci
The survival rate of cardiac arrest patients in Korea was 7.8 percent in 2022, up 0.5 percentage points from 7.3 percent in 2021.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the National Fire Agency (NFA) held the “12th Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survey Symposium” on Wednesday. They announc
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Tuesday that the infectious disease classification of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, will be downgraded from Class 2 to Class 3 in the four-tier level system starting in 2024.Mpox is an acute, febrile, rash disease caused by infection w
Regulators must make the most of ChatGPT to facilitate the examination of digital healthcare devices, an expert has proposed. To support companies that are challenging the development of digital healthcare, it is necessary to borrow the hand of artificial intelligence (AI), he added.Welt CEO Kang Su
Approximately seven out of 10 botulinum toxin (BTX) users in Korea are exhibiting signs of suspected resistance, underscoring the importance of a more cautious approach in determining the appropriate treatment cycle and dosage, experts said on Wednesday. Botulinum Toxin Safety Committee, a group of
The government on Tuesday unveiled plans to implement an innovative mental health policy, encompassing four key measures. This comprehensive approach aims to provide support for individuals at risk of or experiencing mental illness, covering prevention, early treatment, recovery, and facilitating a
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) said that it would step up efforts to monitor the misuse of medical narcotics, rehabilitate drug addiction, and strengthen prevention education next year."This year, we focused on laying the legal foundation and securing the budget to prevent medical shopp
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has called for monitoring side effects in patients receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. On Friday, the ministry distributed a safety letter concerning CAR-T cell therapies to medical professionals, patients, and related parties. Th
A plan to introduce an “elderly primary care physician system” is being pushed to improve the health of older adults and prevent and treat diseases.Rep. Shin Hyun-young of the Democratic Party of Korea introduced the “Elderly Welfare Act Amendment Bill' on Thursday.Korea's primary care physician sys
The Omicron subvariant Covid-19 vaccine developed by Novavax and produced by SK bioscience has won emergency use authorization (EUA) in Korea.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) said Wednesday that it has decided to grant EUA for "Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine 2023-2024 Compound," a genetically r
The National Assembly is pushing to mandate braille and sign language use on medical certificates and prescriptions for visually and hearing-impaired people.Rep. Kim Min-seok of the Democratic Party of Korea recently proposed a bill to amend the Medical Service Act to that effect.The main content of
Starting in the first half of 2024, health insurance will be applied to treatment costs for drug addicts.The Ministry of Health and Welfare held the Health Insurance Policy Review Committee on Tuesday to decide on a plan to apply health insurance benefits to treat and protect drug addicts.The govern
The heightened consumption of ultra-processed foods -- such as ham, sausage, instant noodles, ice cream, and carbonated beverages -- has been found to raise the risk of type 2 diabetes among Korean adults, a study showed.While some U.S. and European studies have reported a positive link between ultr
Samsung Biologics held a Supplier Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Day on Tuesday to encourage suppliers to strengthen their ESG management.The event took place at Samsung Biologics' headquarters in Songdo International City, Incheon, and was attended by 26 major global suppliers, includin
Koreans’ hospitalization due to chronic diseases and their outpatient antibiotic prescriptions are decreasing but prescriptions for patient safety-related drugs and mental health need to be managed, key findings from OECD Health at a Glance report showed.On Monday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare
Health insurance coverage for the colon cancer drug Braftovi (encorafenib) is unlikely to be available this year.The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) and Ono Pharmaceutical recently decided to extend the drug price negotiations for Braftovi after failing to reach a deal by the deadline.Braft
One in eight flights arriving in Korea was confirmed to have multiple pathogens, including enterotoxigenic E. coli, a type of harmful E. coli bacteria.On Monday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released the results of on-board quarantine for 493 flights arriving in Korea from