[매경춘추] Medicine and Society – Mael Business Newspaper

The development of new drugs is directly linked to the progress of humanity. From the discovery of new herbs used in traditional medicine, to the discovery of antibiotics such as penicillin and aspirin in the 19th century, to the recent development of existing drugs using gene editing technology or electronic therapy with new technology… . Although it first appeared for biological effects and physical manipulation, it has produced several waves and changes in our society, including improving the quality of human life and helping to extend life.

Although medicine is the result of scientific research, it is not just a tool for treating diseases. After graduating from pharmacy school and obtaining a pharmacist’s license, I worked at a pharmacy and entered the public service after learning that it involved final approval of drugs . This is because I wanted to think about what medicines our society needs and contribute to further development of the public health environment.

While I was working at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to review whether drugs developed by pharmaceutical companies and submitted for approval are safe and effective, I was able to see different effects of drugs on people and society. Parents traveling the world in search of rare medicines to cure their children’s illnesses, civil servants working day and night to overcome the national crisis when infectious diseases spread and sweeping the world, and involved in non-stop research with the intention of developing new drugs. Researcher… . For them, medicine was a treasure to protect the precious values ​​of loved ones, a safe country, and impossible challenges.

While working in public office, I felt that medicine was defined and controlled according to the norms and systems of our society. Access to medicines varies according to socio-economic class, which can also be a source of inequality. So, I realized that scientific management is very important. I came to think that management science, which plays an important role in releasing medicines into the world by considering a wide range of social, cultural and economic factors, is close to art comprehensive that determines the health environment of our people.

In the future, we must expand the horizon of our consideration of medicine beyond the concept of disease and substances, to its role in considering social phenomena and their effects. An important point is to shift the emphasis from past disease treatment to patient-centred treatment. Since the patient’s trust in the drug is an important factor in drug treatment, a study of the communication method between the patient and the medical staff or the way in which the patient makes a direct assessment of the effect of the drug is also part of this effort. In that sense, it is very important to create a social environment where patients have sufficient information and choices about medicines as active partners in treatment and health management, rather than passively following instructions doctors and pharmacists.

If we look at the commonly known proverbs about medicine, such as ‘Post-medical visit’, ‘Good medicine is bitter in the mouth’, and ‘Even a dog’s dog can’t be used for medicine. ‘, medicine means in astrology. sense of a plan or measure to solve a specific problem It is also used as People seek medicine against pain, and they swallow medicine despite the bitter taste to overcome it pain. I hope that medicine will become the driving force that will heal the sick in our society and move them to a better place. Management science will be an active assistant in helping medicine fulfill its social role.

[박인숙 한국규제과학센터장]