earticle

영어

Background: Drugs are essential to cure diseases and it is crucial to maintain the safety and stability of drugs during the supply chain process. Therefore, the Korean government manages drug distribution in accordance with the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, even if the efficacy of drugs is guaranteed through manufacturing. The drug wholesale distribution market continues to grow and the types of wholesalers are diversifying. This study aims to identify issues related to drug distribution and to draw improvement measures. Methods: In order to explore a plurality of perspectives, data were obtained from five focus groups composed of employees from pharmaceutical companies, wholesalers, hospitals, pharmacies, and public health center. A semi-structured guide was applied in obtaining the participants’ opinions. Common themes were extracted by authors, which were used to gather results and draw conclusion. Results: Participants acknowledged that as the number of wholesale transactions increases, the drug supply chain becomes complicated, making it difficult to check the transparent distribution flow. Participants concerned about low barrier to market entry by wholesalers, soft regulation of distribution management, and conflict of interest among players in drug market. Conclusions: This study suggest that solid regulations on wholesalers and a fair pharmaceutical trading environment should be effective strategies to enhancing the transparency of pharmaceutical drug structures.