Ministry of Health and Welfare and HIRA to Conduct First Pharmaceutical Industry 'Expenditure Report' Survey in June-July

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The government is conducting its first survey on the status of 'expenditure report' preparation in the domestic pharmaceutical industry. The expenditure report is a system that requires pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies to keep records and supporting documents of economic benefits provided to medical professionals and pharmacists within the permitted scope.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 1st that, together with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, it will conduct a two-month survey in June and July on the preparation and general status of expenditure reports.

This survey is the first since the obligation to prepare expenditure reports was introduced in 2018. Considering the protection of personal and business information included in the expenditure reports, the survey will be conducted focusing on statistical analysis information, and the results will be announced.

The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service plans to individually send forms and guidance materials to the companies subject to the survey around May. Each company must complete the forms regarding the status of expenditure report preparation on economic benefits provided to medical professionals and pharmacists last year, as well as the general status of expenditure reports, and submit them to the Review and Assessment Service. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Review and Assessment Service will analyze the submitted data and announce the results by the end of the year. Failure to comply with the data submission request may result in penalties under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and the Medical Device Act.

Ha Tae-gil, Director of the Pharmaceutical Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "This survey is significant in that it identifies the scale of economic benefits provided by pharmaceutical and medical device companies to medical professionals and helps establish a sound distribution order. We hope for much understanding and participation on the ground to activate the system."

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