• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.107-119
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to compare the carcinogen classification systems of developed countries or global organizations with domestic system under Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). We selected the representative institutions which had carcinogen classification system such as International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), National Toxicological Program (NTP), Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), and European Union (EU). We collected the carcinogen lists issued by 5 institutions, and merged by CAS number of each chemical with Microsoft Access 7.0. We found that confirmed human carcinogens, probable human carcinogens and possible human carcinogens were 34, 179, and 252, respectively. All of the institutions classified chemicals as 2 (NTP), 3 (EU) or 5 (IARC, ACGIH, US-EPA) categories based on the weight of scientific evidences for carcinogenicity and periodically updated the carcinogen list by regular procedure. However, a total of 90 chemicals could be classified as carcinogen under ISHA in Korea. There was no procedure or system which periodically update the carcinogen lists. In addition, the status of carcinogen classification according to regulation was confused. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the carcinogen classification and management system should be amended by consideration of systems of advanced institutions and the domestic regulation system.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.207-215
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• 2008

Drug approval-patent linkage is the practice of linking drug marketing approval to the patent status of the originator's product and not allowing the grant of marketing approval to any third party prior to the expiration of the patent term unless by consent of the patent owner. Article 18.9.5 of Korea-US Free Trade Agreement requires that Korea introduce the linkage system in drug marketing approval. However, Korea is unfamiliar with the linkage system. In addition, there have been lots of arguments over the impacts of this system on Korean pharmaceutical industry and pharmaceutical market in the future. This report investigated the linkage systems of the US and Canada. The US and Canada have implemented drug approval-patent linkage system since 1984 and 1993, respectively. Both countries have patent lists for drug approvalpatent linkage on which originators are required to list patents on substance, product, and use of their drugs. Generic or follow-on drug applicants must contain a certification regarding each patent listed that relates to the referenced drug. If the patent holder files suit for patent infringement within 45 days of notice of application, drug approval is not allowed for several months - 30 months in the US and 24 months in Canada. Both countries have amended their systems after having experienced unexpected results such as listing improper and additional patents, multiple patent litigations and delayed generic entries. After reviewing the US and Canada's experiences, we suggested three principles needed in implementing the system: protecting patent holder's right; promoting generic drug development and marketing; monitoring the process and the effect of the system.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.73-89
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• 2005

The disaster preparedness system in Korea has been developed in spite of many obstacles, but there are still many problems for response to newly emerging terrorisms due to the existing problems of disaster response system. The newly emerging terrorism in 21th century like biochemical terrorism has made us focus on terrorism preparedness, but health and medical aspect of terrorism has been overlooked. The health disaster system is more necessary for 21th terrorism response as well as the disaster engineering, economic and administrative aspects. The disaster preparedness system for bioterrorism has been developed by Ministry of Health with syndromic surveillance system and no case has been found in Korea yet and the resources of personnel and equipment as decontamination system in medical facilities are lacking in case of chemical terrorism. So through the multiple access method reflecting the risk factors in real terrorism field and human based health disaster concept, the disaster preparedness and response system to make up for the weak point should be suggested.

• Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
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• v.71 no.6
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• pp.430-439
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• 2018

In infants and small children, ultrasound (US) guidance provides ample anatomical information to perform neuraxial blocks. We can measure the distance from the skin to the epidural space in the US image and can refer to it during needle insertion. We may also visualize the needle or a catheter during real-time US-guided epidural catheterization. In cases where direct needle or catheter visualization is difficult, US allows predicting successful puncture and catheterization using surrogate markers, such as dura mater displacement, epidural space widening due to drug injection, or mass movement of the drug within the caudal space. Although many experienced anesthesiologists still prefer to use conventional techniques, prospective randomized controlled trials using US guidance are providing increasing evidence of its advantages. The use of US-guided regional block will gradually become widespread in infants and children.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.93-111
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• 2020

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in Korea is conducted for specific development projects within Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system. However, as HIA is being carried out in the implementation stage of the development project, it sometimes has failed to take proper actions despite the significant adverse health impact. Considering an environment conflict regarding adverse health impact in developing industrial complex and the current application of HIA in EIA system, it is necessary to come up with an adequacy evaluation in the industrial complex development considering health impact. This study proposes an adequacy evaluation method considering health impact for the industrial complex development and embodies the method by applying it to actual cases. Referring to methodologies of US EPA's CalEnviroScreen 3.0 and US ATSDR's Public Health Assessment, this study proposed using indicators divided by community characteristic, background exposure and development burden as an adequacy evaluation method to consider health impact. Five indicators for community characteristic, three indicators for background exposure and seven indicators for development burden were selected through literature survey, and the weights for each indicator were calculated through Analytic Hierarchy Process's survey of experts related to HIA. Through a pilot application in the three government-led industrial complex development projects, the method was further elaborated by clarifying the evaluation data and subdividing the evaluation criteria for each indicator. Adequacy criteria of plan considering health impact could be presented in three ways to be linked to the government's policy stance on the industrial complex development criteria of total score, criteria of total score and community characteristic score, and criteria of total score and community characteristic allowed by development burden.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.304-311
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• 2014

This manuscript treats a new paradigm for the Korean health care system. We give an account of innovative health care delivery and payment models widely discussed in the contemporary US accountable care organization and coordinated care organization. In doing so, we explore a new health care model amenable to foreseeable changes to the health care system. We propose creating an integrated health care system in which the network of health care providers delivers coordinated and comprehensive care for enrolled patients residing within the geographic boundaries served by the provider network; providers may participate voluntarily in one or more networks and assume shared responsibility for patient care and cost; provider networks compete with each other based on cost and quality; and consumers are allowed to choose a network. We expect that the new paradigm will create a financially-sustainable system that assures quality of care and improves patient experience, minimizing the existing system-wide inefficiency through cross-network competition and within-network care coordination.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.15-30
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• 2006

o US environmental regulations are complex o Compliance assesment should be part of an effective environmental management system o Companies must assess and report a dollar value for environmental liabilities o Comprehensive assessment of environmental liability and risk should be conducted for all property transfers aquisitions o Independent external audits provide the highest level of compliance oversight and can assist in assessment of environmental liabilities

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.110-127
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• 2008

Expenditures on pharmaceuticals of different concepts were estimated and their functional, financing and providers' breakdowns were examined in line with the OECD's System of Health Accounts (SHA) manual. This study also shows the way such estimates are made. The results are then analyzed particularly from the international perspective. Data from both Household Survey by the National Statistical Office and the National Health and Nutritional Survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea were used to estimate pharmaceutical expenditures that. are financed by out-of-pocket payments of the household, while national health insurance data etc. were used for estimation of pharmaceutical expenditures that are financed by public funding sources. The 'per capita expenditure on pharmaceutical/medical non-durables' in Korea stood at 380 US$ PPPs, less than the OECD average of 443 US$ PPPs in 2006, but its share of the per capita health expenditure of 25.9% noticeably outnumbered the OECD average of 17.1%, due partly to low per capita health expenditure as a denominator of the ratio. This indicates that Koreans tend to spend less on health care than an OECD average, while tending to spend more on pharmaceuticals than on other health care services, much like the pattern found in relatively low income countries. An international pharmaceuticals pricing mechanism is most likely responsible for such a tendency. In addition, it is to be noted that the percentage comes down to 21.0%, when expenditures on both medical non-durables and herbal medicine, which is locally quite popular among the elderly, have been excluded.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.455-458
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• 2010

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and will fundamentally alter health care in the United States for years to come. The US is currently one of the only industrialized countries without universal health insurance. The new law expands existing public insurance for the poor. It also provides financial credits to low income individuals and some small businesses to purchase health insurance. By government estimates, the law will bring insurance to 30 million people. The law also provides for a significant new investment in prevention and wellness. It appropriates an unprecedented $15 billion in a prevention and public health fund, to be disbursed over 10 years, as well as creates a national prevention council to oversee the government's prevention efforts. This paper discusses 3 major prevention provisions in the legislation: 1) the waiving of cost-sharing for clinical preventive services, 2) new funding for community preventive services, and 3) new funding for workplace wellness programs. The paper examines the scientific evidence behind these provisions as well as provides examples of some model programs. Taken together, these provisions represent a significant advancement for prevention in the US health care system, including a shift towards healthier environments. However, in this turbulent economic and political environment, there is a real threat that much of the law, including the prevention provisions, will not receive adequate funding.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2016

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of a personal computer-based muscle viewer (PC-BMW) compared with that of a portable ultrasound (P-US) for measuring upper trapezius (UT) and transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle thickness at rest and during contraction. Design: Observational inter-rater reliability study. Methods: Fifty-five healthy participants (25 men, 30 women) participated in this study. PC-BMW and P-US were randomly measured at the UT and TrA muscles. Two examiners randomly obtained the images of all participants in 3 test sessions lasting 2 days. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurement, contraction ratio, and correlation were used to estimate reliability and validity. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to analyze the relationship between muscle thickness measures taken from PC-BMW and P-US. Results: The intra-rater reliability ICCs of UT and TrA muscle thickness for the PC-BMW were >0.995, indicating excellent reliability. Inter-rater reliability ICCs for the PC-BMW ranged from 0.963 to 0.987. The P-US also exhibited high reliability. A high correlation was found between the measurements of the two muscles in PC-BMW and P-US (p<0.01). Conclusions: PC-BMW provides clear and excellent images, is pocket-sized and less expensive than a conventional ultrasound imaging system. PC-BMW can be utilized variously and has the advantage of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. More research is needed to evaluate the utility of PC-BMW for rehabilitation.