KOR
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The Venture Enterprise Association announced today (August 21) that it expresses deep regret over the passage of the Pharmaceutical Act revision at the plenary session of the National Assembly, which restricts non-face-to-face medical platforms from entering the pharmaceutical wholesale business, a bill informally referred to as the "Doctor Now Prevention Act."
In a statement, the association pointed out, "The legislature chose the strictest form of prohibition by fundamentally banning the specific business model of operating a wholesale business itself. This is an instance where small innovations by startups were thwarted by entry regulations in emerging industries and vested interests of traditional interest groups."
The association continued, "To achieve the government's goals of making South Korea one of the top four venture powerhouses and opening an era of 40 trillion won in annual venture investment, we must first overhaul the fundamental application principles for industrial regulations. How can we encourage young people to start businesses in Korea when business models that are commonplace in advanced nations face tightened regulations here?"
It further emphasized, "If this bill's passage is not to remain another piece of legislation that dampens innovation following the 'Tada Prohibition Act,' subsequent institutional designs must fully reflect innovation and consumer convenience. In particular, the drafting of subordinate statutes to the Medical Service Act must proceed in a direction that does not undermine the effectiveness of non-face-to-face medical care and public access to healthcare, and discussions on expanding medicine delivery should also be pursued from the perspective of alleviating actual patient inconvenience and information asymmetry."
(Photo courtesy of Venture Enterprise Association, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
