[On-site Video] Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong: "We have taken steps to prevent any disruption in the supply of IV solution packaging for three months"

[The Financial News]
Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong held a joint briefing on medical product supply measures at Government Complex Seoul on the 7th. She stated, "We will respond strictly, without any exceptions, to unfair practices related to medical products that are directly linked to public health."

Jeong said, "Due to the aftermath of the Middle East war, oil supply has become more difficult, pushing up oil prices and the cost of related raw materials." She added, "This is affecting both the production and prices of medical products."

Jeong explained, "We have already taken measures to ensure there will be no disruption in the supply of IV solution packaging for the next three months." She continued, "For medical devices such as syringes and needles, we are also pushing for priority supply of Naphtha."

The government is also operating a system to identify medical products with unstable supply and demand.
In cooperation with health and medical organizations, authorities share information on supply instability on a daily basis, identify medical products likely to face shortages, and respond in ways tailored to the characteristics of each product.
They also plan to check whether manufacturers are facing raw material shortages, whether bottlenecks are occurring in distribution, and whether there are issues with regulations or reimbursement systems, and respond accordingly.
In particular, as concerns have been raised about possible market disruption involving certain medical products such as syringes at the distribution stage, the government plans to respond firmly.
Jeong stressed, "Relevant ministries will continuously monitor supply trends and price movements, and if we detect any legal violations such as price collusion or shipment controls, we will investigate them promptly." Photo and video by Reporter Seo Dong-il.

tekken4@fnnews.com Seo Dong-il Reporter