Minister Cho will work to address shingles vaccine issue

including considering adding it to NIP

Rep Young-Joo Kim criticizes the widely varying prices of vaccines...calls for disclosure of ex-factory prices

The government responded that it would seek ways to ease the public burden in response to the request that shingles vaccines should be included in Korea’s National Immunization Program (NIP).

 

Rep Young-Joo Kim of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed at the audit of the NA Health and Welfare Committee that was held on the 25th.

 

She said, “There are medical institutions that charge up to KRW 400,000 for shingles prevention vaccine, whose supply price starts at KRW 8,400.

 

In addition to adding the vaccines to NIP, we need to take measures such as a price disclosure system for suppliers.” According to the data Rep Kim received from the KDCA and HIRA, the average price of Zostavax Inj in 2022 was KRW 165,471, ranging from KRW 90,000 to up to KRW 400,000.

 

In 2021, the average price of vaccination in SKYZoster was KRW 146,358.

 

Its price ranged from KRW 40,000 to KRW 230,000, which is a sixfold difference.

 

From 2021 to August of this year, the average supply price of SKYZoster was around KRW 77,000 every year.

 

The places that received the vaccines at the highest price during this period were found to have received them at KRW 341,000, KRW 161,000, and KRW 150,000 in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively.

 

Rep Kim said, “People are receiving shingle vaccinations like a lottery.

 

The ex-factory price is being set randomly, and those who lack information are left to receive the vaccination for KRW 400,000,” requesting countermeasures.

 

In relation to this, Minister of Health and Welfare Minister Kyoo-Hong Cho said, "We have been disclosing the price of non-reimbursed items first because it is difficult to control their price.

 

We will investigate the cause of the sharp drop in price and the price difference.

 

The issue of its reimbursement through NIP needs to be reviewed on its medical necessity and financial efficiency.

 

It is difficult to say no, so we will seek ways to alleviate the public burden." HIRA President Jung-Gu Kang, said, “We have been disclosing the non-reimbursed prices of drugs, and will expand the disclosed items to more than 1,000 in the future.

 

We will try to find other means (to disclose ex-factory prices).” Commissioner Young-Mee Jee of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said, “We are currently evaluating introducing shingles vaccine to NIP.

 

We will apply it as soon as the results are available.

 

If it is listed as an NIP drug, the method of purchasing the vaccine will also be improved and be priced appropriately.”