Nearly 30 percent of pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers provided economic benefits for medical workers in 2022.

According to the fact-finding survey, 27.7 percent of these businesses provided 20.47 million products worth 880.7 billion won ($682.1/1 million) for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals last year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the 2022 Economic Benefit Expenditure Report Survey results for Drug and Medical Device Suppliers on Friday.

The economic benefit expenditure report was introduced in 2018 to create and store details of legally permitted economic benefits provided by pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, and distributors to medical practitioners and pharmacists to increase transparency and self-regulation of drug and medical device transactions.

The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) conducted the survey, and 11,809 companies submitted data.

According to the analysis, 3,274 companies provided economic benefits in 2022, accounting for 27.7 percent of the data submitters. In terms of the size of the offer, it was 808.7 billion won through 20.47 million products.

By the type of provision, 83.3 percent were made through discounted medicine products, while 62.4 percent of medical devices were provided as samples.

"Through this survey, we could analyze the expenditure reports kept by the industry to understand the current status of providing economic benefits through medicines and medical devices," said Jeong Kyung-sil, a healthcare policy officer at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. “We are preparing to release the expenditure report in 2024 and will strengthen policy promotion based on this survey and prepare for the smooth implementation of the disclosure system."