AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate and analyze long-term trends in the production of traditional herbal medicine products within the Korean pharmaceutical industry. The findings are intended to provide foundational data for policy development to revitalize the herbal medicine market.
MethodsProduction and market data for traditional herbal medicine products in the Korean pharmaceutical industry over the past 40 years (1980–2020) were collected and analyzed. The primary data source, obtained from the official “Production Performance Table of Pharmaceutical Products, etc.” (Excel electronic data), was analyzed using Tableau software.
ResultsThe total production value of traditional herbal medicine products in Korea reached 360.8 billion KRW in 2023. Of this, the four herbal medicine products—Woohwangchungsim-won, Kyeongok-go, Gongjin-dan, and Ssanghwa-tang—accounted for 197.9 billion KRW (54.8%). Insurance-covered single (67 types) and mixed (42 types) herbal extracts contributed 49.8 billion KRW (13.8%), while other herbal medicine products comprised 113.1 billion KRW (31.3%). Over the past four decades, the herbal medicine industry and its product indicators have remained largely stagnant without significant growth. However, there has been an increase in the production of insurance-covered herbal medicine products and a noticeable shift in preferred dosage forms from dried extracts to soft extracts. Currently, the market is dominated by the aforementioned four herbal medicine products.
ConclusionsDespite remarkable advances in the Korean pharmaceutical industry overall, the traditional herbal medicine sector has remained stagnant. The market size has lingered below 400 billion KRW for an extended period, and a few specific herbal medicines account for more than half of total sales. The complexity of professional roles and detailed pharmaceutical classifications has led to excessive social costs associated with herbal medicine-based pharmaceuticals. Without innovative institutional reforms, the prospects of the herbal pharmaceutical industry and market remain uncertain.
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