The cases of healthcare reimbursement expansion on novel drug in South Korea has plummeted last year. The drug use has diversified but the actual use volume has not been increased.

A survey on pharmaceutical reimbursement status found the increase in reimbursement expansion for each item in 2020 compared to 2019 has plunged by 70 percent, and by 75 percent for each indication. The figure includes the reimbursement expansion in off-label use as well.

In 2019, total 107 items had their coverage expanded. However in 2020, only 35 items succeeded expanding the coverage. 104 indications had their coverage expanded in 2019, whereas it was only 30 indications last year. Regardless of the dro