A Study on the Precedents Changing Related to Using Medical Devices of Korean Medicine Doctors

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the debate on the use of medical devices between Western Medicine and Korean Medicine, as this is one of the greatest conflicts in Korea's medical profession. Judicial precedents and interpretations of authority serve as regulations because medical affairs law states that Korean Medicine practices are ambiguous.Method: We conducted a search in the Korean RISS, OASIS, and DBPIA databases using several keywords associated with medical devices, Korean Medicine, and Korean Medicine Doctors. The search period was until November 5 2021. The retrieved papers were classified according to the selection and exclusion criteria by checking the title, abstract, and text. For precedents, searches were done regarding comprehensive legal information, etc., and in the case of non-disclosure precedents, we requested access to the precedents by web-court requests.Results: A total of 80 documents were found as a result of the search, and 13 publications were included in the study. The selected publications were classified and analyzed by this research team into Korean medicine, Western medicine, and legal or state agency research. In the existing literature and judgments, the arguments that played a major role changed depending on the time the judgment was made. “Social conventions”, “curriculum”, “academic principles”, and “health and hygiene dangers” were the key arguments.Conclusions: Further studies will be needed that can comprehensively arrange the existing literature and clinical results, and continuous study will be needed to verify that the use of medical devices by Korean medicine doctors is helpful for prognosis and accurate treatment of their patients.