In June of this year, the Korean government released a plan to develop an industrial zone in Wonju, Korea, specializing in medical equipment. Even though the project does not officially begin until 2005, Wonju has already established a medical equipment development center,... Read More
The implementation of new information technology (IT) services in Korean hospitals enables patients to receive faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatment. These new IT services include the use of the Internet for remote diagnosis, teleconferencing, and the establishment of internal computer... Read More
A recent survey conducted by the Political and Economic Research Consultancy (PERC), a Hong Kong based research group, gave South Korea 5.88 points on a scale of 0 to 10 for intellectual property (IP) protection (0 being the highest level of IP... Read More
The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) is currently implementing plans to strengthen the competitiveness of Korea’s pharmaceutical industry. The main goals of the MOHW include establishing a more comprehensive base for research and development for pharmaceutical products in Korea. Among... Read More
Heart disease continues to be one of the leading causes of death in Asia. As countries like Japan, China, Taiwan and the Philippines have a greater demand for medical devices and pharmaceuticals to help treat cardiovascular disease, many foreign medical companies have... Read More
The National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report released in April 2003 by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) recently criticized South Korea’s trade barriers and lack of communication between the Korean government and multinational pharmaceutical companies. Based on the strong language... Read More
As Asian countries begin to adopt more western lifestyles and foods, “western” diseases are becoming more prevalent killers in Asia. Economic transition, urbanization, and technological development have brought about lifestyle changes that have increased the chances for heart disease in Asia. Developing... Read More
This article covers some of the changing dynamics of the regulatory scene in Asia for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, with information and updates from China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Drug prices and reimbursement rates have been cut as governments take steps to... Read More
The battle between multinational pharmaceutical manufacturers and the South Korean government continues as the proposed “reference pricing system” moves forward. The reference pricing system, which plans to cut current reimbursement rates for medical treatment in Korea, will have a considerable effect on... Read More
The South Korean government announced the passing of a new bill banning the cloning of human cells starting next year. The bill that was finalized on September 24, 2002, will restrict the cloning of human cells as well as somatic cells. The... Read More