[Reporter's view] Two plays in the parliamentary audit

A Member of Parliament asks about the need to introduce a prescription for active ingredients.

 

Then, whether it was the Minister of Health and Welfare or the Minister of Food and Drug Safety, he replied that he sympathized with the purpose.

 

There is a strong backlash from medical groups.

 

This concludes the play.

 

The same is true this year.

 

Seo Young-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asked for the opinions of the Minister of Health and Welfare and the Minister of Food and Drug Safety on the introduction of a prescription for active recipients at a recently completed parliamentary audit of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee.

 

Oh Yoo-kyung, head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, said, "I agree," and Minister Cho Kyu-hong avoided an immediate answer, saying, "I will discuss measures with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety." The screenplay is much the same and only the actor changes every year.

 

It is hard to find sincerity in both the National Assembly and the government that has raised questions and sympathized with the purpose.

 

The introduction of the prescription of active ingredients is discussed only during the parliamentary audit season.

 

This year's parliamentary audit also featured plays related to lowering generic drug prices.

 

When Choi Jae-hyung, a member of the People's Power Party, pointed out that "the price of generic drugs is higher than that of advanced countries abroad," Minister Cho Kyu-hong replied, "We will find a way to lower them step by step." The authenticity doesn't feel much.

 

There seems to be no fierce concern about the impact of the generic drug price cut on the domestic prescription market and the pharmaceutical industry.

 

It seems to read the written script as it is, whether it is on the side of asking or answering.

 

In 2012, the government implemented a package of weak cuts.

 

At that time, the National Assembly pointed out that generic drugs were too expensive, and the government reorganized the drug price system under the pretext of financial reduction of health insurance.

 

In the end, the damage caused by this was suffered by the domestic pharmaceutical industry.

 

This is not to say that discussions on lowering generic drug prices should begin.

 

It is repeated every season of the parliamentary audit.

 

It is necessary to think more deeply about how much the shock is in the process of reading and answering the set script.

 

As it is a huge topic that will shake up the pharmaceutical prescription market and the pharmaceutical industry, there should have been time to gather opinions, whether it is a debate or a public hearing, before simple questions and answers.

 

The National Assembly and the government are expected to repeat the parliamentary audit next year similar to this year.

 

The play with the obvious ending is not interesting.

 

I hope that a more sincere and novel script will be written on the stage, where the theme of health insurance fiscal reduction is to be the theme.