"80% of the medicines approved in Korea are generics, which account for 53% of medical expenses. However, consumer perception of generics’ equivalence to original medicines remains at 50%. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) should be concerned and ashamed of this outcome."

Lee Eui-Kyung, a professor at the School of Pharmacy at Sungkyunkwan University who served previously as the Minister to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), pointed out that stifling generic competition limits patient access to medicines.

Lee delivered a speech at the plenary session on the topic of 'Regulatory Science Innovation and Patient Access to Medicines' at the Korean Society of Food, Drug &