Neurogen
Neurogen
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety was under pressure from all sides.
The social pressure from families protesting in front of the building was the least of their worries. Internet public opinion was also heated. Complaints were pouring in, asking why they weren't approving the dementia treatment immediately.
The employees working at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety were living in hell. Even now, the protests of dementia patients' families could be heard clearly. It would have been strange if they couldn't hear them, considering they were using loudspeakers outside the building.
And it wasn't like the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety building was well-soundproofed either.
Also, phones were ringing off the hook. The employees had already unplugged the phone lines. Since calls were coming in without a single second of pause. It had reached the point where they couldn't even do their actual work because of the complaint response duties.
The employees felt the political pressure even more intensely than the social pressure.
"The Minister is coming today!"
"Ugh, again...?"
Day after day, Ministers, even National Assembly members. Politicians with immense political power were coming in. Those politicians were people who had family members suffering from dementia.
Naturally, they couldn't help but be anxious. After all, it was said that a perfectly good dementia treatment had been developed. But asking them to wait 10 years was too cruel.
It wasn't just the families of dementia patients; even big-shot figures in the political world came. And the question was the same. They asked if the dementia treatment approval couldn't be expedited.
Eventually, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety had no choice but to raise the white flag. Holding out wasn't the answer. If things went on like this, the atmosphere suggested the Minister of Food and Drug Safety would be replaced.
And there was a separate system for times like this.
It was called Emergency Use Authorization, a system that drastically shortened the approval period for new drugs when an epidemic or a disease fatal to human life was spreading.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's announcement of Emergency Use Authorization was released.
There was a press conference by the Minister of Food and Drug Safety.
[We are aware of the special situation...]
[We will cooperate as much as possible for the approval of Jaeseong Bio's dementia treatment.]
[So that the citizens of the Republic of Korea can receive the dementia treatment as quickly as possible...]
The families of dementia patients let out shouts of victory.
"Everyone, we did it!"
"Thank you for your hard work! It's all thanks to everyone gathering their strength!"
"The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has surrendered!"
It was the moment the approval for the dementia treatment was decided.
Under social pressure, political pressure, and various other pressures, holding out for 10 years was close to impossible. No, from the start, it was a fight that was bound to end this way. There was no one to help them, and it wasn't an agency with the power to hold out either.
Thus, the dementia treatment created by Jaeseong Bio was approved for sale within the Republic of Korea. Of course, overseas was still a no-go.
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Amidst the heated interest, Jaeseong Bio's CEO Soyeon appeared at a press conference.
It now had a proud name, not just 'dementia treatment'. It was named 'Neurogen', meaning it creates new memories.
Soyeon expressed her opinion through the press conference.
"Neurogen is a new drug created with immense cost and effort. Our Jaeseong Bio is a for-profit company that conducts pharmaceutical research and sales distribution. We cannot ignore the company's purpose of profit generation."
Soyeon put her mouth to the microphone and spoke in a clear, distinct tone.
"However, we cannot ignore the suffering of dementia patients and the hardship of the families caring for them."
The reporters looked at Soyeon with sparkling eyes. While the launch of the new drug Neurogen was important, there was something even more important.
"The price of Neurogen is scheduled to be set at the level of 100,000 won per day."
At that moment, the reporters buzzed. Considering the money poured into developing the dementia treatment, they had to make money. However, it was true that the price of the treatment was substantial.
100,000 won a month would be practically free. But 100,000 won a day... it cost a huge sum of 3 million won a month. Moreover, it had to be taken without missing a single day.
Of course, considering the pain and costs dementia patients suffer, it was practically priced cheaply.
Since when dementia gets severe, they have no choice but to enter a nursing home, and considering the hospitalization fees of over a million won a month and the caregiver's salary, it cost millions of won in medical expenses.
"That is all."
Soyeon bowed her head and took questions from the reporters.
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There was practically no backlash from patients regarding the drug price.
"100,000 won a day? It's 3 million won a month, but considering that dementia is cured, it's cheap."
"If you send them to a nursing home, it costs at least several million won a month, and considering hiring a caregiver, 3 to 4 million won a month is easily blown on dementia treatment costs, so 3 million won is practically free."
"Just thinking about my parents returning to their senses, isn't it worth paying any amount?"
"The fact that dementia, which was considered an incurable disease, can be treated is valuable enough."
Favorable public opinion toward Jaeseong Bio was formed. One could curse them as a money-grubbing company, but because the guardians of dementia patients knew the pain of dementia care, they didn't say anything else.
They even went as far as to defend Jaeseong Bio.
"I have a heart to truly bow to Jaeseong Bio just for developing the dementia treatment. No, if I could, I would want to donate my entire fortune to Jaeseong Bio."
"Right now, my mom is lying in bed and can't even distinguish people... I'm so looking forward to her returning to the mom of the past. There were so many stories I wanted to share with my mom, and just being able to do it again makes me feel like crying."
Of course, there was negative public opinion. These were ordinary people who had never cared for dementia patients.
"No, do we have to pay 3 million won a month? Does Jaeseong Bio have no blood or tears? Are they not satisfied with emptying the wallets of dementia patients? Do they have to take the guardians' wallets too?"
"The average salary in South Korea isn't even 3 million won... Consideration from Jaeseong Bio is needed."
"If one dementia patient appears, you have to pay 36 million won a year... I wonder if it's too expensive. I know it costs a lot to develop a new drug, but... it's a South Korean company, can't they make it cheaper considering the patients?"
However, the negative public opinions were soon suppressed by the dementia guardians.
"Stop talking bullshit and just get lost!"
"3 million won a month for a complete cure of dementia is cheap! Can't you tell right from wrong? Is money more important when your parents are dying?"
"It's an achievement that no other country has accomplished, and instead of praising it, you're cursing it? What a waste of a life!"
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[National Assembly. Special Bill for Pharmaceutical Sales Authorization proposed!]
[National Assembly moves for Neurogen sales!]
[Patients waiting for Neurogen, will be able to buy the medicine within this month at the latest.]
The guardians of dementia patients felt their hearts flutter at the news.
It was heartbreaking to see parents with dementia, and caring for them was agonizing to the point of death. But if Neurogen appeared, they could now be liberated from such pain.
And the biggest advantage was being able to welcome back parents who had returned to their senses. That was worth more than anything else. Because there were many guardians who wailed seeing their parents turn into children.
There were situations so sad that tears would stream down. But now there was no need for that. Because if they took Neurogen, they would return to the reliable appearance of their parents again.
Thus, the guardians dreamed of a rosy future. A daily life where they could go on trips with their parents who had returned to their senses, and talk affectionately again.
The special bill that came out of the National Assembly contained various contents regarding the sale of pharmaceuticals. However, looking closely, it was safe to say it was a bill for Neurogen.
Other pharmaceutical companies could have objected. They could have said, isn't this giving special treatment only to Jaeseong Bio?
But looking at the contents of the special bill, it wasn't.
[Patients who participated in clinical trials for over 1000 cases...]
[Must have few side effects in target testing...]
[Must not have the side effects mentioned in the next issue]
[Must comply with the contents written in other bills.]
The procedures of the special bill proposed by the National Assembly were complex yet strict. These were conditions that new drugs created by pharmaceutical companies could never satisfy. It demanded such thorough safety that if a new drug met these conditions, it would be appropriate to sell it.
Thus, the Minister of Food and Drug Safety came out and informed the public in detail about how the sales approval was achieved. But for the patients, that wasn't important. They were only waiting for when they could receive Neurogen.
"From next week, you will be able to meet Neurogen."
At the Minister of Food and Drug Safety's words, the dementia patient guardians cheered.