(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Seon-mi and Oh Ji-eun = The Korean Pharmaceutical Association expressed its welcome on the 20th when the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act amendment passed the plenary session of the National Assembly.
The revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act contains restrictions on the entry of non-face-to-face treatment platforms into the pharmaceutical wholesale business.
Currently, Dr. Now, a non-face-to-face medical treatment platform, is engaged in a pharmaceutical wholesale business, so this amendment has been called the 'Doctor Now Prevention Act'.
In addition, the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act also includes provisions requiring pharmacists to check drug information through the Drug Safety Information System (DUR) when dispensing narcotics or psychotropic drugs.
The Korean Pharmaceutical Association said in a press release that day, "The passage of this amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act by the National Assembly is very meaningful in that it prevents conflicts of interest due to the entry of non-face-to-face treatment brokers into the pharmaceutical wholesale business and establishes an institutional mechanism for the safe use of narcotic drugs."
He continued, “We have finally put in place the final institutional button that must be put in place in the process of institutionalizing non-face-to-face treatment,” and added, “I highly value the fact that the social agreement prepared after long discussions has been completed as a system.”
The Pharmaceutical Association also emphasized the importance of the amendment implementation process.
They said, “The purpose of the difficult-to-achieve social agreement should not be reduced or damaged in the process of preparing and implementing subordinate laws and regulations,” and requested, “The government and the National Assembly should make every effort to ensure that the purpose of the revision is implemented without wavering in the field by carefully reorganizing subordinate laws, detailed standards, and enforcement systems during the preparation period for implementation.”
On the other hand, the Korea Startup Forum (KOSPO), a startup association, expressed its deep regret over the passage of this revision to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act through the plenary session of the National Assembly.
Cospo criticized, “We requested a reexamination during the bill review process, but neither the benefits experienced by the public nor the explanations submitted by the industry were reflected.”
Cospo said, “Non-face-to-face treatment was a medical innovation that people directly confirmed its effectiveness in their daily lives,” and “It opened up a new option for patients in time zones, regions, or with mobility issues who had difficulty finding hospitals.”
He continued, “It has been an inconvenience that has been neglected for a long time for patients who have completed treatment to go to several pharmacies without knowing which pharmacy has the medicine,” and added, “This is why non-face-to-face medical treatment startups link medicine inventory information.”
A COSPO official said, “What is most worrying is the message that will be left to entrepreneurs,” and pointed out, “If attempts to solve problems with technology that the system cannot solve are kicked out due to controversy, no entrepreneur will want to take on a difficult problem.”
Cospo said, “Please be sure to listen to the voices of the field in the process of revising the medical law subordinate laws related to non-face-to-face treatment,” and suggested, “The National Assembly should check the gaps left by this legislation and continue discussions on supplementation.”
