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Press Release
Korean Medical Association
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Korean Physicians Demand Professional Autonomy to Oppose Socialistic Healthcare Policy |
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February 23, 2004
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In spite of bad weather with rain and wind, thirty-five thousand physicians in Korea gathered on February 22, 2004, in Yoido, Seoul, to secure the people's right to choose and to insure the physician's professional autonomy.
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In his opening speech, Dr. Kim, Jae Jung, President of the Korean Medical Association, expressed his appreciation to the medical associations in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan and the Korean American Medical Association, who strongly supported us through their messages.
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Dr. Kim stressed that both the public and health professionals are suffering from the current distorted healthcare system and it should be totally reformed.
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Through the resolution adopted during the ceremony, the entire membership of the KMA sent cordial requests to the Government and the National Assembly on the basis of love for their patients and their consciences as physicians as follows:
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Secure the people's right to choose
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Reform the national health insurance system
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Withdraw the Five Year Plan for the National Health and Welfare
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Reevaluate the system of separation of prescription and dispense
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The KMA affirmed its intention to concentrate its endeavors and energies, in cooperation with the public will, to fulfill the above requests in view of the coming general election in April 15, 2004.
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Prior to the ceremony last Sunday, the establishment of two important bodies was proclaimed, namely the Labor Union of Interns and Residents and 4.15 Evaluating Group on Healthcare Policy.
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If you would like any further information or copies of any documents, please contact:
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Yoonsun Park: Chief, International Relations, KMA
e-mail: intl@kma.org
Office: (+82) 2-794-2474 Ext. 120
Mobile: (+82) 11-792-6908 |
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February 3, 2004
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The entire body of eighty thousand physicians in Korea is gathering on February 22, 2004, in Yoido, Seoul, to protest against the Government's unilateral healthcare policy. We are deeply concerned that the 'Five Year Plan for the National Health and Welfare', released by the Government recently, is based on a socialistic policy running counter to national democracy, and we strongly urge that this plan should be withdrawn immediately.
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We also propose a serious reevaluation of the system which was enforced by the Government in 2000, initially for the main purpose of prohibiting pharmacists from selling Ethical (Prescription) drugs and of providing people with those Ethical drugs only through physicians' prescriptions. Three years after the implementation of this system, we are confronted with a situation which is radically different from the one originally intended. We have lost our rights of dispensing, but illegal substitutions and dispensing without physicians' prescriptions continue. The patients have also been deprived of their right to choose.
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As an active member of the World Medical Association, we heartily wish that the WMA policies, such as Declaration of Lisbon on the Rights of the Patient (adopted in 1981 and amended in 1995), Declaration of Madrid on Professional Autonomy and Self-Regulation (adopted in 1987), and Declaration on Physician Independence and Professional Freedom (adopted in 1986), will be carried out for the health of the nation.
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| On this historical day, the Korean Medical Association will declare once again its mission to protect the patient's safety in Korea and to preserve the professional autonomy of Korean physicians. |
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| For further information or copies of documents, please contact: |
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Yoonsun Park: Chief, International Relations, KMA
e-mail: intl@kma.org
Office: (+82) 2-794-2474 Ext. 120
Mobile: (+82) 11-792-6908 |
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