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- 2026-04-17 11:08:12
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s View]Trust is essential to prevent a MERS II
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Feb 05, 2020 02:22am
- As the fourth confirmed person in China's Wuhan Pneumonia (2019-nCoV Infection) emerges, there is growing concern over whether outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that occurred in 2015 could be reproduced. Beyond the concerns, people who have experienced the MERS crisis, as well as nursing institutions such as hospitals, clinics and pharmacies are terrified. On December 31, Wuhan in China, announced that 27 patients with unknown pneumonia (Wuhan pneumonia) were in quarantine treatment, the first death of Wuhan pneumonia occurred in China on January 10 this year. The incident occurred in China close to Korea, but until this time, people did not imagine that Wuhan pneumonia would become a concern of the whole nation as it was called 'SARS II' or 'MERS II'. The Korean people began to pay attention after January 20, when a Chinese woman (35) who entered Korea was confirmed as the first confirmation of Wuhan pneumonia. Until this time, Wuhan pneumonia was the 'item' covered in major daily newspapers, and there were very few articles on Wuhan pneumonia or new coronavirus in the professional journals. However, when the second confirmed person (male, 55) on the 24th, the third confirmed person (male, 54) on the 26th, and the fourth confirmed person (male, 55) on the 27th, all the media has been talking about Wuhan pneumonia or new coronavirus. It is a feeling that the 'MERS II' situation has been reproduced from the media. Five years ago, as a result of the MERS outbreak, as a journalist, I vowed to deliver prompt, accurate information to the public. In addition, I thought that the press should act as a 'bridgehead' to ensure that our government publishes the right information in the flood of false information, and that the people can trust the official announcement without disturbing the false information. This belief has not changed at all. The government is actively coping with Wuhan pneumonia faster than the MERS outbreak. The KCDC raised the warning level of infectious disease crisis from 'interest' to 'caution' after the first confirmation of Wuhan Pneumonia. The National Medical Center was designated as the 'new coronavirus infectious institution'. The Central Accident Prevention Division was set up by the Minister of Health and Welfare. Everything was done seven days after the first confirmation. People should work together to prevent the spread of Wuhan pneumonia by checking information on the outbreak trends and press releases through the website of the KCDC (http://www.cdc.go.kr/). Not only the trust of the people, the government, and the media, but also the efforts of medical professionals who are committed in the medical field are needed. On the 21st, the day after the announcement of the first confirmed patient in Korea, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service distributed information to medical institutions and asked for checking entrant information of the area where Wuhan pneumonia occurred through the Drug Safety Use Service (DUR). However, because the law does not enforce the use of DUR, some hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies have turned off the DUR program or have turned off the ITS(International Traveler Information System) program in the DUR. According to the HIRA, 30% of medical institutions do not use ITS. At this time, medical institutions should turn the ITS in the DUR system to 'ON' to receive information on the immigrants from Wuhan-pneumonia-infected areas and make efforts to prevent contact with them sooner. Five years ago, we overcame the MERS crisis while listening to the news of patients dying from MERS daily. According to experts, Wuhan pneumonia is likely to cause severe pneumonia, but there is no vaccine to treat. However, no deaths have occurred in Korea yet. This is because secondary infections are prevented by administering antiviral agents or antibiotics depending on the patient's condition. In the flood of information that is poured out every day, I hope that people will only select the right information and don’t forget 'hand washing' and 'masking', which are guidelines for preventing infectious diseases.
- Policy
- Insurance not covered if Revlimid prescribed multiple up
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Feb 04, 2020 08:16pm
- Insurance will not be covered if Revlimid’s lower dose such as 5mg in multiples by Celgene is prescribed instead of Revlimid 10mg, 15mg, 20mg, or 25mg. Reimbursed price of Revlimid 25mg is ₩101,768, whereas Revlimid 2.5mg, 1/10 dose of Revlimid 25mg, is ₩53,904. If 10 tablets of Revlimid 2.5mg is prescribed instead of 1 tablet of Revlimid 25mg, it will cost more than ₩500,000. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service recently released the list of reimbursed pharmaceuticals with cost-effective dose in January 2020. The list was made in accordance with the revision of the pharmaceutical list and reimbursed limit table on December 31 of last year. Effective date is from March 1st. The full reimbursed list is subject to automatic computerized checks for DUR information and review of reimbursed payments. Last year, the HIRA was in the process of reconfirming unmanaged items in batches, allowing DUR additions and deletions to be adjusted. In the newly added list of oral prescription with benefit cut in case of prescribing multiple up of lower dose, a total of 200 item combinations were added due to the confirmation of production items, and 92 item combinations were designated as shortage prevention drugs and were removed from the list. In addition, the following combinations of items that were subject to DUR adjustment due to the establishment of low-high doses; Allenaon 10·20mg, Mini Ressin 0.1·0.2mg, Glimedi 2·4mg, DaeWoongBio Atorvastatin 20·40mg, Intrack 6.25·12.5mg, Pitastin 2·4mg, Matiran 20·40mg, Crowon 5·10mg, Litor 10·20mg, Esomedin 20·40mg, Leviepil 0.25·0.5g, 0.25-1g, Eso-mp 20·40mg, Since January 1 of this year, due to the elimination of the low-high doses, Elosuva 10·20mg, Dulota 30·60mg, Lowgan 10·20mg, Omertec 20·40mg, Norvasc ODT 5·10mg , and Cavedia 12.5·25mg have been dropped from the DUR screening. Injectables include Genpenem 0.5·1g, Cralevo 50·150ml, Astriaxone 1-2g, Samsung Merophenem 0.5·1g, Copenem, 0.5·1g as a result of the product confirmation, Mecapem 0.5·1g and Cifloxin 0.2·0.4g will be automatically cut from DUR when prescribed multiple up of lower dose medication from next month.
- Company
- DC passes second PARP option Zejula fast with reimbursement
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Feb 04, 2020 06:32am
- After winning National Health Insurance reimbursement, anticancer treatment Zejula has been quick to get listed on general hospital prescription list. According to the pharmaceutical industry on Jan. 4, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea’s Zejula (niraparib) has been passed by drug committees of 16 major hospitals nationwide, including Seoul National University Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital, Pusan National University Hospital, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, and CHA Bundang Medical Center. The Big Fives with Samsung Medical Center, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and Seoul Asan Medical Center are currently in process of landing the code. A DNA repairing poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, Zejula, was indicated as maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (including fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer), who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy from last July and earned reimbursement in last December. During a key clinical trial, the drug has improved median progression-free survival (mPFS) exceptionally, regardless of BRCA mutation, compared to the placebo arm. The patient group with ovarian cancer and BRCA mutation, who were treated with Zejula, has demonstrated mPFS of 21.0 months, about four times longer than the placebo group with 5.5 months. Even in the group without BRCA mutation, Zejula-treated group had mPFS of 9.3 months, showing clinically meaningful improvement than the placebo group with 3.9 months. In a recent PRIMA study, Zejula also confirmed efficacy as a first-line therapy for ovarian cancer, regardless of BRCA mutation. However, its reimbursed indication is limited to patients with BRCA mutation. President Kim Seung Cheol of Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group (Professor at Gynecologic Cancer Center of Ewha Womans University Hospital) stated, “Zejula is the first PARP inhibitor used regardless of BRCA mutation. Two to three tablets conveniently taken once daily, the drug also showed satisfying safety profile in adverse reaction as it could be managed by adjusting dose taken.” The first PARP inhibitor to be approved in Korea was AstraZeneca’s Lynparza (olaparib), and it received reimbursement in October 2017 with expenditure cap type risk sharing agreement (RSA) negotiated under pharmacoeconomic analysis exemption route. Apparently, Pfizer’s Talzenna (talazoparib) is preparing for Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s approval as a third PARP inhibitor in Korea.
- Policy
- Patent litigation to decide prospects of Olostar generic
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Feb 04, 2020 06:32am
- For the first time, a generic drug with same active ingredient (olmesartan medoxomil, rosuvastatin calcium) contained in Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s blockbuster co-morbid hypertension and dyslipidemia treatment, Olostar, has applied for approval. Presumably, the generic manufacturer would be either Kolmar Korea or a CMO as Kolmar Korea’s bioequivalence test protocol for the generic has been approved in last March. However, the company cannot immediately release the generic product despite acquiring the item approval, because Olostar’s pharmaceutical patent is valid until Mar. 22 of 2033. The pharmaceutical industry reported on Jan. 2 that olmesartan medoxomil-rosuvastatin generic has submitted an approval application to Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). As Olostar’s post-marketing surveillance period has expired on Jan. 28, a follow-on drug has no problem applying for approval. But the generic would face restriction according to patent-approval linkage system, because the original’s drug patent is listed on MFDS’ patent list. The original manufacturer may request for sales ban on generics via patent litigation. And if generic manufacturer wins the patent litigation, the restriction protecting the original would be lifted. Kolmar Korea has already filed negative confirmation of scope on the original to evade patent infringement on June 3 last year. And Hutecs Pharmaceutical Korea, Mother’s Pharm, Daehan New Pharm, Sinil Pharmaceutical, Hana Pharm, White Life Science, Korea Prime Pharm, Hanpoong Pharm, and Crystal Life Sciences have also filed the same case. Kolmar Korea has been developing the generic until now. The company’s bioequivalence test protocol has been approved last March to prove equivalence between tentatively named Olmetin tablet 20/20 mg and Olostar tablet 20/20 mg in healthy adult subject. Kolmar Korea has highly likely to have developed the generic drug and other patent challengers would be supplied with the contract manufactured generic. Sources report review on the negative confirmation of scope filed on Olostar has almost been completed and is waiting for the last decision. If Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board are to cite the generic manufacturer, the generics could be released after clearing the approval. However, the pressure of patent infringement has not been resolved fully, yet, as the patent owner, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, has a possibility of filing an appeal at a higher instance. Since the approval in July 2013, Olostar has been enjoying its success in the hypertension and dyslipidemia treatment market. According to UBIST, the drug generated total 12.1 billion won of outpatient prescription volume last year, easily surpassing the standard of Korean blockbuster drug at ten billion won. Definitely, the original has the marketability attracting the generics to hurry the early launch. But, the success of generics in the market is not guaranteed. Although a generic with the exact same substance as the original is not available at the moment, a few combination drugs with telmisartan and rosuvastatin calcium in the same class as Olostar have been released already. And 11 companies are supplying the telmisartan-rosuvastatin drugs. Moreover, the competition would intensify by coming October, as the original’s post-marketing surveillance period is to be expired then. Other combination drug for co-morbid hypertension and dyslipidemia with amlodipine besylate and atorvastatin calcium (brand name: Caduet by Pfizer) had its post-marketing surveillance period expired in 2010 and now it has total 78 follow-on drugs. Basically, the market cannot get anymore saturated. Nevertheless, small and medium companies are still betting on the generic as the number of originals with soon-to-be-expired market exclusivity is limited, and an item earning over ten million won from outpatient prescription is even rarer. Meanwhile, the original manufacturer is expected to take aggressive legal action against the generic manufacturers, because the generic entering the market would impact the company with drug pricing reduction. Accordingly, Daewoong Pharmaceutical would likely to concentrate on patent litigation.
- Company
- Salespersons, working at home due to Wuhan virus
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Feb 04, 2020 06:31am
- Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies took action in the aftermath of the new corona virus (Wuhan pneumonia). It is advisable to refrain from entering the hospital for the sales person for a while until the situation calms down. Some pharmaceutical companies have even started working full-time at home. According to the pharmaceutical industry, on the 31st, Konkuk University Hospital sent a text message to a pharmaceutical company sales representative and asked for cooperation to "restrict access to representatives of pharmaceutical companies for the management of new corona infection". Seoul Paik Hospital and Daejeon Konyang University Hospital are recently reported that the salesperson refrained from entering. It is expected to apply until the release of the infectious disease crisis alarm. Clinic-level medical institutions also refrain from accessing salespersons for the time being. A pharmaceutical salesman said, "Some clinics asked me to refrain from access for the time being." In some cases, all employees have been working from home. Amgen Korea has been working from home since 31st last month. Unless absolutely necessary, salespersons' visits to the hospital or business trips are prohibited. It is said that until the end of the notice, and it is possible to close the deadline until the warning of the infectious disease crisis is released. Email sent to employees from Amgen Korea Pfizer Korea will also work from home next week. MSD recently recommends 14-day telecommuting regardless of whether the person has recently been to China, who has related symptoms, or who has been to Wuhan, China. Even people who have not been to China recommended working from home if they have any symptoms. Some multinational pharmaceutical companies canceled overseas workshops, which were planned earlier this year. Roche Korea planned to go to Bali in February, but decided to cancel on the 31st. Novartis Korea is also said to have canceled the workshop plan for Thailand recently. Likewise, this is due to the new coronavirus. It is confirmed that domestic companies have also taken action. Hanmi internally ordered to avoid face-to-face meetings whenever possible. An official of Hanmi said, "Unless there is a special reason, We decided to refrain from meetings or face-to-face meetings and to handle the work by phone call whenever possible". In addition, several pharmaceutical companies are now preparing to counter the spread of new coronaviruses. A pharmaceutical industry official said, "We have not made any official recommendations yet, but we are considering various options, including refraining from visits (clinicians) under the judgment that the situation in Korea is serious and the company will make official recommendations as in the last MERS outbreak".
- Company
- Bayer to withdraw Levitra from Korean market
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Feb 04, 2020 06:31am
- Bayer Korea has decided to withdraw Levitra (vardenafil) from Korean market and leave Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical’s Yaila as the only erectile dysfunction treatment in Korea with vardenafil. Bayer Korea has notified respective drug distributing vendors that the supply of Levitra would be suspended from coming April. Superficially, the company stated the ‘upgrade process of manufacturing facility in Leverkusen, Germany’ is the reason for the withdrawal, but the pharmaceutical industry insiders see otherwise and suspect the recently fallen demand on the drug has affected the decision. In fact, the sales volume of Levitra has been mediocre. The pharmaceutical market research firm, IQVIA said the drug has only generated 800 million won, 600 million won, 500 million won and 300 million won from year 2015 to 2018, respectively. The drug’s gap with other competitors Viagra and Cialis is significant, considering they have generated 9.9 billion won and 7.4 billion won in 2018, respectively. The market share shriveled even more when Chong Kun Dang challenged the drug’s patent from 2018. The Korean company has filed a negative scope confirmation on Levitra in January, 2018, and won the case in November of the year. Immediately following the winning case, Chong Kun Dang released erectile dysfunction treatment Yaila with the same active ingredient from November, 2018. Yaila ended up generating 300 million won that year, and has also generated 700 million until third quarter last year. Considering Levitra has barely made over 100 million until third quarter last year, Yaila presumably has absorbed most of Levitra’s pie. ◆ Ending the Bayer-Chong Kun Dang partnership after seven years together Chong Kun Dang actually has co-marketed Levitra with Bayer from 2007 to 2014. It was technically a two-track strategy to each sell vardenafil drug under different brand name of Levitra by Bayer and Yaila by Chong Kun Dang. In the first year of the launch, the drug has earned more than five billion won. But the sales volume gradually fell as the competitors Viagra and Cialis consumed the market aggressively. From 2012, many of Viagra generics have been released. In the following year, Yaila’s sales volume plunged to around 400 million won. In the end, Chong Kun Dang canceled the license on Yaila in 2014. Basically the company stepped out of the erectile dysfunction treatment market as they had not launched the Viagra generic, yet. Shortly after in 2015, when Cialis’ patent was expired, Chong Kun Dang released the generic Cendom and got back into the market. Cendom has been performing well and followed right after the market leader, Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s PalPal. ◆Re-release after four years, Chong Kun Dang is the only one with three-substance line-up Gaining confidence with Cendom, Chong Kun Dang launched Viagra generic Cengla in 2017. And in the following year, the company released Yaila again as vardenafil generic and completed the full erectile dysfunction treatment line-up. It did not sign a co-marketing deal with Bayer this time, however. Moving on from a partnership, now the two companies are in competitive relationship. But as the original Levitra is leaving the Korean market for good, Yaila would be the sole erectile dysfunction treatment with vardenafil. And Chong Kun Dang is the only company in Korea to have all three substances of erectile dysfunction treatment. Chong Kun Dang official said, “Each active ingredient has unique advantages. Yaila’s biggest strength is its powerful effect compared to other treatments. It can be prescribed to patients, who did not see the effect with sildenafil.” “Marketing the products with three substances would create a favorable synergy effect as it could better accommodate each individual patient’s needs,” the official added.
- Policy
- The HIRA approved 10 of 12 cases in Spinraza
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Feb 04, 2020 06:31am
- Ten out of 12 applications for the 'Spinraza' reimbursement, which has a maximum insurance price of ₩92.3 million, were approved. One case was failed, and one case was withheld due to a request for supplementary data. The HIRA (Director Seung-Taek Kim) released result of deliberation example on the website on the 31st including ▲ Immune Tolerance Induction ▲ Nusinersen sodium injection (Spinraza) ▲ Eculizumab injection (Soliris) ▲ Valve assistive device therapy (VAD) Approval of Institutions ▲approval of institutions for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Spinraza has been on the list of reimbursed drugs since April 8 last year, but medical institutions that want to do so at an ultra-high price of ₩92,359,131 per 5ml bottle must apply for pre-approval. The details of one disapproval of the newly filed application indicate that one medical institution applied for Spinraza benefits to a 45-year-old female patient, but symptoms and signs of spinal muscular atrophy were apparent at age 3 (36 months). And, the claim was not accepted because it was not confirmed and objectively proved. Looking for Spinraza's reimbursement criteria, all three conditions including ▲ Genetic diagnosis of 5q SMN-1 gene deficiency or mutation ▲ SMA-related clinical symptoms and signs when under 3 years old ▲ Permanent ventilator not used must be met as 5q spinal muscular astrophy patient. In the case of a data supplement decision, a 39-year-old male was not approved because there was no evidence that he had symptoms of 5q spinal muscular atrophy from 3 years of age or younger. In the case of Soliris (Eculizumab), which had been subject to prior approval prior to Spinraza, there were prior applications of the total number of 59 cases (48 cases of Paroxysmal nocturnal hemochromatosis, PNH & 11 atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, aHUS). In the case of a newly medication application, PNH had five approvals and two disapprovals, and aHUS had five disapproval decisions without approval. In addition, details reviewed by the review board can be viewed from the website of the HIRA.
- Policy
- Value framework research explains why we need it
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Feb 03, 2020 06:24am
- Experts claim value framework criteria and evidence fitting to Korean circumstances are needed to justify limited National Health Insurance (NHI) finance granting reimbursement on high-cost anticancer treatment with clinical uncertainty. The argument is that new value framework scales are needed for a new high-cost anticancer treatment with weak evidence of improving survival time and progression-free survival (PFS), because they raise an issue of uncertain efficacy when evaluating cost-effectiveness. Korean Cancer Study Group recently unveiled a final report on a study of pharmaceutical value framework, cosigned by Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). The research team evaluated six drugs—non-small cell lung cancer (SNCLC) targeted therapy Tagrisso (osimertinib), immunotherapies Tecentriq (atezolizumab), Keytruda (pembrolizumab), nivolumab, and multiple myeloma treatments Kyprolis (carfilzomib) and Pomalyst (pomalidomide)—with two tools applicable for Korean environment, American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Value Framework (VF) and European Society for Medical Oncology’s (ESMO) Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (MCBS) ASCO VF and ESMO-MCBS assessed clinical efficacy, toxicity and quality of life, but had a gap in evaluation methods used with unclear aspects in each, which resulted in different assessment outcomes depending on investigator and drug. ASCO VF had an issue with clinical benefit indicators. Among three indicators including overall survival (OS), PFS, objective response rate (ORR), OR is meaningful as an ultimate target endpoint. So it may seem reasonable to set weighted value of OR lower than PFS or ORR, but weighted value or preference from the perspective of patient has not been reflected. The research team pointed out “Applying ASCO VF in Korea could result in a significant discrepancy in scores when respective evaluators assess randomized clinical studies of a drug. If a clarified guidance is not given on the scale of value framework, a tool originally designed to help the bilateral decision-making between a doctor and patient could actually cause confusion instead.” Meanwhile, the team found an issue of insufficient amount of ESMO-MCBS-based literature on anticancer treating blood cancer. When developing ESMO-MCBS, various drugs treating a variety of cancers were reviewed but drug for blood cancer was not included. “The tools have limitations in clearly answering the questions of how to define ‘clinical benefit;’ how would ASCO VF specify items evaluated for toxicity; what indicators could be used to assess quality of life; or what criteria could measure improved toxicity in ESMO-MCBS,“ nevertheless, “the value frameworks support the argument of rising medical expenditure, due to increased number of cancer patients and high-cost anticancer treatments, should develop ‘value-based’ scale evaluating ‘value’ more objectively,” the team assessed. The related expert survey and focused group interview drew a conclusion that the majority of the experts agreed value framework for anticancer treatment should be adopted in Korea, and they answered both of the external tools should be considered instead of preferring either of them. The weighted values from analytic hierarchy process (AHP) showed oncologists considering efficacy of an anticancer treatment more when prescribing than how much ASCO VF considers of relative importance of efficacy. The researchers stated, “This should be clarified when adopting ASCO VF as a Korean value framework. When applying clinical value framework for anticancer treatment, this part should be consulted with experts to better define and reflect it.” The report also recommended conducting follow-up studies to specify criteria to assess toxicity, alleviated symptoms, and improved quality of life. “Developing a unique value framework for Korea would require a series of discussions and studies in the future, and continuous efforts should be made to explore and generate value-based endpoint fully reflecting the Korean landscape and various stakeholders,” the researchers concluded.
- Policy
- 6-hour test kit targeting 2019-nCoV developed in Korea
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Feb 03, 2020 06:24am
- A laboratory test kit to confirm the 2019 novel coronavirus infection in six hours has been co-developed by a government body and private entity. From Jan. 31, the new test kit would used by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment to test suspected cases, and it would be available for use by private healthcare institutes from early February at earliest. KCDC (Director Jeong Eun-kyeong), Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine (President Kwon Gye-cheol), and Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service (President Min Hong-ki) have developed, validated and assessed quality of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect 2019 novel coronavirus. They announced KCDC (including National Incheon International Airport Quarantine Station) and 18 Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment stationed nationwide are to use the kit from Jan. 31. The new test takes six hours or less to confirm the infection and the gene-amplifying PCR only requires a single test. The test can be manufactured domestically and it would significantly contribute in proactively response to the virus infection. The existing pan-coronavirus test kit takes a longer time (one to two days) and requires a two-step testing. KCDC stated the new highly credible test kit has been developed based on the 2019 novel coronavirus genetic information, World Health Organization (WHO) test method, and clinical samples, and it was fully disclosed to Korean laboratory test tool manufacturing companies to locally manufacture the kit. Except for China at the moment, an internationally approved and prevalently used test kit is not available, but the Korean-made kit would be distributed to private healthcare institutes in early February at earliest with the help of R&D by Korean manufacturer, assessment support by KCDC, the academic society and the association and emergency approval on medical device by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Preparing to approve the emergency use of the test kit, MFDS plans to closely cooperate with KCDC and promptly process the reviewing of safety and accuracy with submitted product evaluation material. Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine and Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service officials said, “The test kit holds a great meaning as public-private cooperation has resulted in an effective diagnostic system in such short period of time. The public-private cooperation would vastly contribute to end the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus.” Director Jeong Eun-kyeong of KCDC explained, “The new test kit would enable us to specifically target and diagnose the novel coronavirus, and to respond assertively depending on confirmed infection, even if the outbreak spreads.”
- Opinion
- [Reporter’s view]Dilemma of salesperson suicide & reporting
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Feb 03, 2020 06:23am
- Sad things happen constantly. In the past year, four salespeople who worked for a multinational pharmaceutical company took their own lives. This is the minimum number known and confirmed. The circumstances of the company and the extreme choices are different. However, the common point was that the reason for suicide was 'the company they worked for'. The reporting of suicides is tricky and uncomfortable for the media and journalists. The media needs to be cautious in reporting. Dailypharm also did not cover all four incidents. Even if reported, the first article is written with a level of communication that excludes interpretation and presumption. Nevertheless, the dilemma for the report itself remains. This is because of the heart of the bereaved family after the deceased. Of course, there are many cases where the bereaved family wants to be articled with appeal. Rather, the indifference of the press sometimes hurts them. On the other hand, but if they don't want their family to be exposed to someone they don't know about, or that someone around them might be able to guess the deceased, apart from the legitimacy of reporting, I think that ethical consideration is necessary. Certainly we shouldn't 'use' death badly, but if they have a 'reason' of extreme choice and a story they want to tell, we should listen to it. In addition, the media should add strength in raising awareness to prevent such tragic accidents from recurring. Suicide is linked to sorrow and interests. Confrontation between the union and the company intensifies, They continue to fight who is responsible for death. Even if the choice of the deceased was caused by performance pressure and staff reduction, it is another story to conclude this with the company's "imputation". So the press should be an observer. Based on the story of death, the media should listen to the labor and management's arguments and let them know that there are media that watch the fighting's conclusions and follow-up. Once again, I pray for the deceased's condolences and hope that suicide in the pharmaceutical industry will never happen again.
