KPMA conducted an anonymous survey on executives in order to identify pharmaceutical companies that have offered kickbacks to doctors. (image: nima; hopographer/flickr)
SEOUL, Apr. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPMA) conducted an anonymous survey on executives from its 50 member companies at its second executive meeting in Seoul on April 14, in order to identify pharmaceutical companies that have offered kickbacks to doctors.
The executives were asked identify the companies they thought were giving kickbacks. The KPMA said that the purpose of the survey was not to take disciplinary action against any companies identified, nor to accuse them of any legal wrongdoing, but rather to monitor its member companies.
Lee Kyeong-Ho, president of the KPMA, said that he would personally contact executives from the targeted companies and encourage them to eradicate their kickback customs. Although a two-strike law has been in place since 2014 to punish companies offering financial incentives by excluding their products from National Health Insurance coverage, some small companies have been ignoring the law. The association, which has no mechanism to force its members to abide by the law, has come up with the survey idea to raise ethical awareness.
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
