‘Only 1.78% of doctors lost license for receiving illegal rebates’

Among physicians who received illegal rebates from pharmaceutical firms, only 1.7 percent lost their medical license in the past six years, a lawmaker said.

Rep. Kwon Chil-seung of the Democratic Party said the administrative punishment on doctors who received illegal rebates was too weak.

Rep. Kwon Chil-seung of the ruling Democratic Party said he found that the Ministry of Health and Welfare imposed administrative punishment on 2,578 doctors for taking illicit rebates in the last six years.

Only 46 out of the 2,578 doctors, or 1.7 percent, lost the medical license.

Other 924, or 35.8 percent, had their license suspended, and 1,608, or 62.3 percent, received only a warning.

The law stipulates penalties for healthcare workers who receive illegal rebates. However, the penalties do not depend on the amount or frequency.

Unless a doctor is sentenced to imprisonment, the government cannot revoke the doctor’s permit.

“People have pointed out that illegal rebates, deeply rooted in the medical community, should be eradicated, but the administrative punishment on doctors receiving rebates is still weak,” Kwon said.

He called for the government to set up more stern measures, such as stripping convicted doctors of licenses.