The government will directly fund production facilities to stabilize the supply of essential medicines used to treat children, pregnant women and emergency patients, including lorazepam injections, which recently faced supply concerns. With shortages and supply disruptions recurring, authorities are moving beyond administrative oversight to invest in manufacturing infrastructure to stabilize the supply chain.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute announced on the 20th that they had selected six companies, including Samjin Pharmaceutical, to carry out the "2026 Production Support Program for Drugs with Unstable Supply."
The program supports companies producing medicines in short supply domestically by funding the establishment of production facilities and equipment, encouraging the resumption of supply and increased output. The government has quadrupled this year's budget to 3.6 billion won, up from 900 million won last year.
Industry attention is focused in particular on Samjin Pharmaceutical's lorazepam injection. A neurosedative used in emergency situations such as pre-surgery sedation, pediatric convulsions and seizures, the drug is designated as a national essential medicine. Earlier concerns over a possible supply halt had raised the prospect of disruptions to emergency care.
The ministry said Samjin Pharmaceutical plans to use the funding to install new production equipment for lorazepam injections, obtain product approval within the year and begin supply.
Hydrocortisone injections, used to treat acute adrenal insufficiency and severe allergic shock, are also included in the support program. Korea Pharbio plans to obtain new product approval and build a production system.
Several essential drugs that had been produced by a single domestic manufacturer are also included. Notable examples are GC Biopharma's allergy treatment Histobulin Inj., BC World Pharm's tuberculosis treatments Tubis Tab. and Tubis Two Tab., and McNulty Pharma's gestational diabetes test solution Gluorange 100. These products had raised concerns in medical settings due to aging production facilities and recurring shortages.
The government also plans to encourage expanded output through the equipment support. GC Biopharma plans to double production of Histobulin Inj. to 520,000 vials by 2028. Chong Kun Dang's Cefazolin Inj. will see annual production rise from 6 million vials to 9 million vials.
Jung Eun-young, director general of the ministry's Health Industry Policy Bureau, emphasized, "This year's supported products are medicines essential for protecting the health of children and pregnant women and for emergency treatment," adding, "We will continue to expand support to ensure a stable supply of medicines needed by the public."
