Korea’s health ministry sued for disinformation

The Korea Electronic Cigarette Association (KECA) sued the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), demanding that the government correct the misinformation on electronic cigarettes, reports the Korean biomedical examination.

The KECA lawsuit alleges that the government caused financial damage to e-cigarette-related small business owners by issuing incorrect information via an October 23, 2019 press release advising Koreans to stop using liquid e-cigarettes .

The MOHW recommendation was issued following an outbreak of lung injury in the United States that was initially attributed to nicotine vapes, but was later determined to be associated with illicit THC products.

“According to the United States [Food and Drug Administration’s] notice banning the sale of liquid-type e-cigarettes, which was the basis of the MOHW’s decision advising smokers to stop using e-cigarettes, tetrahydrocannabinol, a substance derived from hemp, was the main problem,” KECA said.

In 2019, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 530 confirmed serious lung diseases and eight deaths in the United States linked to the use of liquid-type e-cigarettes.

“However, at the time of the announcement of the MOHW recommendation, there was only one suspected case of lung injury in Korea, and even the suspected case was from a person who smoked tobacco,” said the KECA.

According to an article published in the Journal of Korean Medical Sciences As of December 2021, there have been no cases of serious pneumonia or lung damage among liquid e-cigarette users, according to KECA. The group said the MOHW’s failure to withdraw its recommendation to stop the use of liquid e-cigarettes shows neglect of duty.

A MOHW spokesperson said it would investigate the complaint and respond to the lawsuit in conjunction with other agencies, such as the KDCA and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.