보건복지부 영문홈페이지

Be “Smart” with drug!

Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Rim, Chae Min), National Health Insurance Corporation (President Kim, Jong Dae), Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (President Kang, Yoon Goo), Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations (President Kim, Yeon Hwa),  and Korea Organization for Patient Group (Co-representatives Ahn, Gi Jong, Yang, Yun Jeong, and Baek, Jin Young) held an on-site campaign for the improvement of the public recognition about the consumption of drug at the Cheongye Plaza from 11am to 2pm on 29 Mar. 

This campaign was prepared to make the revised drug pricing scheme widely known and to improve the public recognition of the consumption of drugs including provision of information on drugs, etc.

The campaign includes the distribution of leaflets introducing the revised drug pricing system, the demonstration of smart phone applications through which people can get information on hospitals and drugs easily, the health information counseling service such as blood pressure and body fat measuring, etc

In Korea, the volume of the drug consumption is increasing each year and the number of drug items per each preion is twice greater than those of other countries.

* The increase rate of drug prices has risen by 13.2% a year over the past ten years (from 2001 to 2010) and it has increased by one trillion won each year.

Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service developed and is distributing the application

for smart phones through which users can easily get information on efficacy and effects of

drugs, prices, alternative drugs, etc to prevent excessive use of drugs and abuse of

unnecessary drugs. People can easily access such information by choosing the “drug

information” at http://m.hira.or.kr, which is an application of health information provided by

Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.  

Also, it provides information on drug prices that will be lowered from April, allowing consumers to check the level of prices of drugs that they are taking and by how much their prices will be reduced, etc right away. Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to cut prices of 6,500 drug items, which account for 47% of the entire drugs subject to the health insurance coverage from April as a result of the drug pricing scheme revision made in Jan. this year.  

On that day, National Health Insurance Corporation Seoul Office set up a health booth and provided the citizens with body fat and blood pressure services and offered health counseling and related information.

This campaign will be also held at Seoul National University Hospital from 12 to 3 pm on 6 Mar.

An official from Ministry of Health and Welfare said that a healthier society is expected to happen as people will have a less burden with drug prices thanks to the drug price reduction and will be provided with accurate information on drugs, thus enabling proper and safe consumption of drugs.