Former Health Minister Attributed His Replacement to Lobbying of Pharmaceutical Companies

Health and Welfare Minister Lee Tae-bok, who was replaced in the Cabinet shakeup on the 11th, argued that his replacement was attributed to lobbying activities by multilateral pharmaceutical companies, which has opposed his policy to reduce prices of medical products, causing a stir.

Having been reported on his replacement, Lee delivered a statement titled `leaving the post of Health and Welfare Minister` to reporters and expressed his feeling at a press conference.

In his statement and at a press conference, he maintained, "I tried to burst the bubble in medicine prices in an attempt to reduce the deficit in the health care insurance and the burden of the public. But lobbying activities by pharmaceutical companies drove me out of the post."

He said, "An official in a pharmaceutical company recently called and threatened me, saying, `Don`t you ever believe you can keep your post.`"

He went on to say, "Multilateral pharmaceutical companies have aggressively lobbied for my replacement in resistance of the price reduction of medicines."

Asked whether they have lobbied the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, he answered that it is highly likely given a series of circumstances,

As a main reason foreign pharmaceutical companies, in particular, have so strongly resisted, Lee mentioned his policy of reassessing existing medicines and reducing the prices without lowering supply prices.

Since Lee took the helm, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has prepared for the introduction of this system, which is now in the stage of implementation.

The labor activist-turned-minister, who served eight years of prison term, was sworn in as Health and Welfare Minister in Jan. 29 after serving as senior presidential secretary for labor. An official in Cheong Wa Dae said, "I have never heard of such an argument."

hanscho@donga.com