The government's research and development policies and institutions for health technology

Abstract

Health Technology Research and Development (R&D) national grant system has been progressed by the unique governance of each countries. From this reason, it has historical context and path-dependency. South Korea, also have started their investment from Bio Technology Master Plan of Ministry of Science and Technology (1994) and Korea Health Technology R&D Project of Ministry of Health and Welfare (1995), currently investing around 1.1 trillion won (in the year 2012) into the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (now, Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning), Ministry of Health and Welfare and Ministry of Knowledge Economy (now, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy). This paper focuses on the Health Technology R&D national grant system in the aspect of governance, mid-long term strategic plan, main program, planning-evaluation-management system. And last but not least, implications. First, there would be important to build the effective governance, performance based policy and administration mechanisms of national grant system for the Health Technology R&D. Second, main objective of Health Technology R&D, which is improving the quality of life for the public, could not meet their target practically. Third, R&D investment has been enlarged from treatment based to prevention and care focused and from technology-centered into demand-centered, which based on the unmet health needs. Last, most of Health Technology R&D project could not consider sustainable health system, which would be the most important value in healthcare.