Government mobilizes all-out efforts to stabilize medical product supplies: Priority raw material allocation and tougher crackdowns on unfair practices

Amid growing instability in crude oil and petrochemical feedstock supplies triggered by the Middle East war, concerns are spreading across the entire range of medical products. In response, the South Korean government has launched a pan-ministerial effort. It plans to operate a management system that covers production, distribution, and demand to prevent supply disruptions in medical settings in advance.
At a briefing held at Government Complex Seoul on the 7th, Minister of Health and Welfare (MOHW) Jeong Eun-kyeong stated, "Rising oil prices and restrictions on raw materials such as naphtha caused by the Middle East war are affecting medical product production and distribution across the board." She added, "We are mobilizing all the capabilities of related ministries so that no instability arises in the supply of medical products used by the public."
The South Korean government is first focusing on stabilizing raw material supplies at the production stage. Led by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, authorities are checking manufacturers’ raw material inventories and production status on a daily basis. They are also sharing information with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and others to build a cooperation system that ensures priority supply of key feedstocks such as naphtha. Through this, the government aims to prevent production setbacks for major medical products such as IV solution packaging materials and syringes. For IV solution packaging, sufficient quantities have been secured to avoid supply problems for the next three months, and priority allocation of raw materials is also being pursued for syringes and needles.
On-site monitoring is also being strengthened. MOHW is working with the Korean Medical Association (KMA), the Korean Hospital Association, and the Korean Pharmaceutical Association to check the supply situation at medical institutions and pharmacies every day. This allows the government to identify items that may face shortages in advance and to prepare tailored response measures that reflect the characteristics of each product.
Many medical products, such as IV sets, combine pharmaceuticals with petrochemical components. The category also includes items with the nature of general industrial goods, such as sterile packaging, blister packs, and syrup containers, which makes the supply chain complex. Taking these characteristics into account, the South Korean government is operating a response framework that spans production, distribution, and regulatory systems.
At the distribution stage, the government is also tightening its response to market-disrupting behavior. In light of sharp price increases and stockouts observed for some medical products, authorities are examining the possibility of unfair practices such as hoarding and price collusion.
Relevant ministries are jointly monitoring supply trends and price movements on a constant basis, and they plan to launch investigations immediately if any legal violations are confirmed. The government stressed, "Because medical products are directly linked to public health, we will respond strictly and without exception to any unfair practices."
According to the latest assessments, IV solutions, including their packaging materials, can be supplied stably in the short term. Syringes and needles also appear to have several months of buffer based on current production and inventory levels. However, some small and mid-sized medical institutions and pharmacies are experiencing anxiety due to disruptions in online distribution and insufficient stock.
The South Korean government believes this situation stems from a combination of raw material supply issues and "excess demand" driven by anxiety. On the ground, facilities are trying to secure more stock than usual out of concern, which the government understands to be causing temporary stockouts.
Accordingly, the government has asked medical institutions and pharmacies to refrain from excessive hoarding. It judges that stockpiling beyond necessary levels could undermine the stability of the overall supply chain.
In addition, institutional support measures such as improving reimbursement for medical consumables and simplifying approval procedures for packaging materials will proceed in parallel. The aim is to ease the burden of rising costs, prevent production disruptions, and promote regulatory reforms that enable flexible responses, including the use of alternative packaging materials.
Minister Jeong said, "If medical sites, companies, and the government work together, we can fully overcome this crisis as well." She continued, "We will manage the situation to the very end so that there is no disruption in the supply of essential medical products."

wonder@fnnews.com Jeong Sang-hee Reporter