Doctors' strike over, but controversy over enforcement of new rules remains
<br>
By Shin Hye-son Staff reporter The Korean Medical Association, a lobbying group for the nation's 65,000 doctors, officially called off the six-day walkout that paralyzed the nation's medical sector last week after its members voted Sunday to reopen their clinics and hospitals.
<br>
<br>
With the decision, a major stumbling block was removed to the introduction of a government-led medical reform program.
<br>
<br>
Despite the decision to end the walkout, room remained for another controversy as both doctors and pharmacists are still at odds over plans to enforce the new system. The reform program, to be implemented on July 1, separates the overlapping professional roles of doctors and pharmacists.
<br>
<br>
The KMA's decision to end the work stoppage came after President Kim Dae-jung, head of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, and Lee Hoi-chang, leader of the main opposition Grand National Party, agreed Saturday to revise the pharmaceutical law to give doctors more authority in prescribing drugs.
<br>
<br>
The two leaders promised to revise the law during a special session of the National Assembly next month.
<br>
<br>
Following the announcement, the KMA leadership held a vote in which its members were asked whether to continue the strike. The proposal to end the walkout was narrowly approved by 51.9 percent of some 32,000 voters, with nearly 48 percent opposed to the proposal and the remainder failing to cast ballots.
<br>
<br>
"The government's mediation plan is not fully satisfactory to us (doctors), as was shown in the voting result. Nonetheless, we decided to end the strike because we felt that we could no longer justify not attending to our patients," KMA President Kim Jae-jung said. "However, if the government does not fulfill its promise to revise the law in accordance with our demands by the end of next month, we are prepared to begin another struggle."
<br>
<br>
After the announcement of the ruling and opposition parties' willingness to revise the law, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association (KPA), the other major player in the standoff, threatened to boycott the new system. The KPA later said it would put aside the planned boycott for the time being.
<br>
<br>
"We will wait and see how the law is revised. If the law is changed for the worse, meaning that it favors doctors, then our 50,000 pharmacists and 20,000 pharmacies would boycott the system," KPA President Kim Hee-jung warned.
<br>
<br>
The association also said it would immediately form an "emergency countermeasures committee" on the new medical system and wage a campaign to ensure that "appropriate" revisions are made.
<br>
<br>
The KMA and KPA are expected to remain at loggerheads during the revision process.
<br>
<br>
The most contentious issue pertaining to the revision is how to prevent pharmacists from writing their own prescriptions.
<br>
<br>
Under the pending law, which will go into effect July 1, pharmacists are allowed to sell generic drugs without doctors' prescriptions. It is also technically possible for them to sell a combination of several drugs.
<br>
<br>
Doctors argue that this is virtually equivalent to writing their own prescriptions and that if the practice is allowed, patients would not bother to obtain prescriptions when suffering from minor illnesses.
<br>
<br>
They are thus demanding that the law be revised such that pharmacists are required to sell a minimum of 30 pills to a given patient. Doctors believe that the regulation would increase the financial burden on patients, thereby forcing them to visit doctors rather than going directly to pharmacies.
<br>
<br>
On the other hand, pharmacists fear that their businesses would be severely hurt by such a regulation. They argue that only the public would suffer if they were required to buy a minimum of 30 pills for minor illnesses like indigestion or headaches, for example.
<br>
<br>
Another bone of contention is the question of when pharmacists should offer notification that they wish to substitute replacement drugs for those prescribed by doctors. The pending law requires pharmacists to notify doctors after the fact but physicians are demanding that the notification be made beforehand.
<br>
<br>
The shortage of preparations for implementation of the program, a result of the controversy over details of the plan, is also feared to hinder its introduction.
<br>
<br>
Many pharmacists say that they have not stocked enough pharmaceutical supplies to meet demand after the reform program goes into effect.
<br>
<br>
Apparently concerned about this and other problems, Health and Welfare Minister Cha Heung-bong said yesterday that the ministry is considering introducing a grace period ahead of the program's full implementation.
<br>
<br>
"I understand some civic groups are calling for a grace period before the full-fledged enforcement of the law," Cha told reporters yesterday. "I find this suggestion very reasonable and the government will consider the idea."
<br>
<br>
He said details have yet to be decided, but added, "If a grace period is implemented, medical institutions and pharmacies would not be punished for legal violations during that time." Observers said chances are good that the grace period would last until the National Assembly revises the pharmaceutical law.
<!-- -->
