Evaluated as the Right Person to Coordinate Opinions on Medical Reform from Various Sectors
It has been reported that Noh Yeon-hong (69), chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, has been appointed as the chairman of the Special Committee on Medical Reform.
According to the government and medical circles on the 21st, the government has selected Chairman Noh as the chairman of the presidential direct Special Committee on Medical Reform, which will be launched next week.
Chairman Noh is a graduate of the 27th Administrative Examination and has served as the head of the Health and Medical Policy Headquarters. During the MB administration in 2010, he served as the Commissioner of the Korea Food and Drug Administration. From 2011 to 2013, he served as the Senior Secretary to the President for Employment and Welfare, and at Gachon University, he worked as the Vice President for External Affairs of the Medical Campus, Vice President, and Dean of the College of Health Sciences. He took office as chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association in March last year.
Having served as a senior secretary in the presidential office and as a vice president at a medical school, he is regarded as the right person to coordinate opinions from the government, political circles, and the medical community regarding medical reform.
The Special Committee on Medical Reform will play a role in concretizing the 'four major policy packages,' which focus on strengthening regional healthcare, establishing a safety net for medical accidents, and enhancing fairness in the compensation system such as medical fees. There is also a possibility that discussions regarding the method or scale of medical school expansion will take place.
The special committee will consist of government members from six ministries and 20 private members. Among the private members, 10 will be recommended by provider organizations including medical associations, 5 by consumer organizations, and 5 will be experts in various fields.
The government is encouraging the participation of the Korea Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), which stand at opposite ends regarding medical school expansion, but the likelihood of their participation is low. The government plans to launch the special committee regardless of whether these organizations participate.
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