보건복지부 영문홈페이지

Fairness in operation of the health care providers’ ethics committee will be enhanced and online medical advertisements will be more strictly controlled

- Enforcement decree of the revised Medical Act resolved at the cabinet meeting -

□ Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Rim, Chae Min) said that the revised enforcement decree of the Medical Act was resolved at today’s cabinet meeting of which the main contents are about the ethics committee for health care providers, the pre-screening of online medical advertisements and re-registration of health care providers’ license on a three year basis, etc.  

□The main contents of the revised enforcement decree of the Medical Act are as below.

① Matters regarding the creation and operation of the Health Care Providers’ Ethics Committee have been determined. (implemented on 29 Apr.)

○ So far, the health care providers’ ethics committee was run by each group autonomously.

- The Medical Act is revised allowing the concerned health care provider’s group can ask Minister of Health and Welfare to impose one’s license suspension when a health care provider (doctor, dentist, oriental medicine doctor, and nurse) commits an act of degrading one’s dignity. Accordingly, matters regarding the Ethics Committee that evaluates acts of dignity degradation are newly added to the enforcement decree of the act.  

○ The Ethics Committee consists of eleven members including the chairman and more than four members from law, health, medial and consumer right areas are required to be included. The resolution concerning the acts of dignity degradation has to earn support from more than 2/3 of the committee members, preparing the institutional foundation that can enhance fairness and expertise in ethics-related evaluation.

.

② Matters regarding the report of activities by health care providers on a three year basis, the method, procedure and training rules, etc have been prepared. (implemented on 29 Apr.)

○ Health care providers shall report their employment status, workplace and area, their completion of training, etc to Minister of Health and Welfare by the end of Dec. in the third year from the day they have received their licenses and the reporting procedure has been entrusted to the health care providers’ central council.

* The existing license holders before the implementation of the revised enforcement decree shall report by 28 Apr. 2013 (for one year after the implementation)  

○ If a health care provider doesn’t report within the period prescribed by the law, his license can be suspended until he reports it and if he doesn’t take re-training, his report can be denied.

○ With the introduction of regular license reporting, the status of health care providers’ activities will be accurately captured, enhancing the policy effectiveness and strengthening the re-training system.

③ Types of internet media are determined that require pre-screening when medical advertisements are posted. (implemented on 5 Aug.)

○ Among internet media, internet news service, major portal sites, websites of broadcasting companies are included into subjects for pre-screening given their influence on consumers, preventing false and exaggerated advertisements in advance.

○ For websites of medical institutions that are not subject to pre-screening, post screening and promotion will be strengthened and continuous discussion with health care providers’ groups will be done so that the medical community will observe the law voluntarily.