One Year On, Re-evaluation of Immunotherapy Injections for Cancer Patients Still Delayed… Medical Tourism Services Also in Focus
Published
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) promised to re-evaluate non-covered immunotherapy injections that cancer patients receive, but one year later, no results have been released. Non-covered items are not eligible for National Health Insurance, so patients must bear the full cost themselves. For this reason, re-confirming the safety and effectiveness of these drugs is considered an important issue for many cancer patients and their families.
In this context, the use of immunotherapy injections such as Immunocyanin and Viscum album for cancer treatment is also being raised. NECA has expressed its position regarding the use of these drugs. However, based only on the data currently available to the public, it is difficult to confirm the specific usage criteria and all the details.
Meanwhile, medical tourism targeting foreign patients is becoming increasingly active. In Seoul, one-stop services that help foreign patients move from the airport to the hospital and receive treatment are growing, with interpretation and airport pickup services being representative forms of support. Such services are helping foreign patients who are unfamiliar with the language to easily find hospitals and receive medical care.
In short, in Korea the government's re-evaluation of non-covered drugs used in cancer treatment is still ongoing, while convenience services for foreign patients continue to expand in the medical tourism sector. It will be necessary to watch how the MFDS's re-evaluation results and the follow-up measures of related agencies affect patients and the medical field.
Sources: 헬스경향
More South Korea news
- Digital TVET master's program launches in South Korea
- Gyeongbuk health group donates 100 boxes of grapes to children
- US Big Tech Pursues Multi-Trillion Won Investments in South Korean Data Centers Amid Uncertainty
- KB Insurance to Hold Open Recruitment for New Employees in Second Half of 2026
- Kolmar Korea Wins CES Beauty Tech Best Innovation Award for Second Straight Year, Setting World First
- China Closes In on Korea's Core LNG Carrier Market, Expanding from Mega-Vessels to Equipment
- China's Rapid Technological Development: South Korea Must Change Its Regulations and Labor System
- Ambassador Michelle Steel: American Companies Operating in Korea Should Compete in a Fair Environment