Internal discord worsens in medical world

The medical world is suffering from worsening internal discord over the results of a vote on a re-revision bill of the Pharmaceutical Law that was expected to settle the months-long dispute between doctors and pharmacists over medical reform.

The leaders of the Korea Medical Association (KMA) were planning to confirm the result of the association members¡¯ vote on the bill after recounting the ballots, but the hard line members of the "committee for regaining medical rights" and intern and resident doctors demanded a revote.

The bill was approved by a narrow margin of only 247 ballots. The association leaders were therefore monitoring the ballot counting through the group¡¯s city and provincial branches and planning to endorse the outcome as there were no problems in the course of voting or ballot counting.

But the KMA leaders and the emergency measures committee made up of interns and residents claimed in a statement that the vote is null and void because votes were cast through telephone or other means after the deadline and demanded a revote.

The confrontation between the two sides has cast an ominous cloud over the task of revising the Pharmaceutical Law. Meanwhile, interns and residents decided to return to work next week and the doctors¡¯ strike is expected to end irrespective of the result of the vote.