Revised pharmacists' bill draws angers

As the National Assembly has begun reviewing the revised pharmacist`s bill put forth by the government, the nation`s pharmacists` and doctors` associations held their respective emergency meeting, reaching a conclusion that the revision was unacceptable to both.

The Korean Medical Association threatened yet another strike, criticizing the government`s revised bill as " a hodge-podge bill that awkwardly incorporates the suggestions from the medical, pharmacy and the civic groups."

"If the revised bill does not reflect the doctor`s suggestions, we will employ all tactics including a strike," KMA said after holding a series of meetings.

The KMA further said that "delaying of sales of generic medicine in open status for another six months in fact allows pharmacists to illegally exercise the right to prescribe and triggers overuse of drugs in the nation. In addition, it infringes on the doctor`s right to treatment and diagnosis for the bill to limit to only 600 the number of drugs that need doctor¡¯s consent in advance" the KMA said.

The Korean Pharmacists Association, meanwhile, said that it can not accept the revised bill as it only has embraced the doctors` proposals, after a series of meetings held at its central and regional branches.

The KPA said that barring pharmacists to sell general medicine by the pill and inserting of a conditional clause that pharmacists will need doctors` consent to replace prescription using 600 items of medicinal drugs is "not even worth mentioning."

The revised bill, currently under by an ad-hoc six-member committee, will be put before a general review by the National Assembly`s Health and Welfare Committee