KMA: "Generic Prescribing Must Be Abandoned, Broad Criminal Immunity for Medical Accidents Needed"

78th Regular General Assembly of the KMA Held
"Government Must Listen to Voices on the Ground, Not Just Issue Notifications"

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) has declared its firm stance against any actions that infringe upon physicians' rights to provide medical care, their licensing authority, and their professional autonomy, emphasizing its resolve to oppose measures such as mandatory generic prescribing.

On April 19, at the 78th Regular General Assembly held at Seoul Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Taekwoo Kim, President of the Korean Medical Association, stated in his opening remarks that, “We will resolutely oppose all attempts to blur the boundaries of medical licenses, to undermine the responsibility structure in prescribing through the enforcement of generic (substance-based) prescriptions, and to delegate excessive judicial authority to the National Health Insurance Service’s Special Judicial Police.”

Taekwoo Kim, President of the Korean Medical Association. Korean Medical Association

President Kim stressed, “This is not a claim made solely for the benefit of doctors. If this principle collapses, the harm will be borne entirely by the public. We have never compromised, and will never compromise, on physicians’ rights to practice medicine, their licensing authority, or their professional autonomy.” He went on to say, “It may take five, ten, or even more years to fully restore the medical system that was damaged by the recent conflict between the government and the medical community. Medical education needs to be normalized without delay, and the training system for residents has yet to find its footing; this is not something that the medical community or the government can resolve on their own.” He added, “The starting point for restoring the healthcare system is to allow doctors to practice medicine with conviction in their rightful roles, and to create an environment where junior doctors can receive proper education and training. I urge the government and politicians to design policies that safeguard frontline and essential healthcare.”

Kim further stated, “The failures of past policies should not be blamed on doctors. If the government continues, as before, to make decisions unilaterally and simply notify us, conflict will only repeat itself and nothing will be resolved. Policies must be implemented only after gathering input from those on the ground. The Korean Medical Association will become a responsible policy partner based on scientific evidence and real-world experience.”

The KMA House of Delegates also criticized discussions on introducing “generic prescribing,” which would allow substitution of different brand-name medicines with the same active ingredient, and demanded broad criminal immunity for doctors in cases of medical accidents. In a resolution issued after the assembly, the House of Delegates called for an end to attempts to undermine doctors’ prescribing rights, and urged the immediate withdrawal of discussions on introducing generic prescribing, which they said ignores medical principles and restricts patient choice. The House also called for an end to the criminal prosecution of outcomes from medical practice and demanded that the National Assembly and the government establish a substantive “Medical Dispute Mediation Act” that guarantees broad criminal immunity for essential medical procedures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.