#701, Seoul YWCA, 1-1, Myeongdong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul  (Postal code: 100-021)

Report Data

Provision Date :	August 16, 2010
Person in Charge:	Secretary-General Choi Su-gyeong
	Head of Team Jo Jun-ha
Tel:	774-4050

Some pharmaceutical companies are still adding chemical preservatives to their general medicinal products (drinks).

These preservatives will be removed between 2010 and the latter half of 2011. Meanwhile, consumers should read ingredients carefully before purchasing.

The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations (Chairperson Kim Jae-ok) raised issues regarding chemical preservatives such as Sodium Benzoate, Methyl paraben, and Propyl paraben, which are added by ten pharmaceutical companies, like Dong-A Pharm Co., to 24 health drink products that include Bacchus, Gas Whal Myung Su-Q, and Jinnokchen. We have requested for these pharmaceutical companies to stop using chemical preservatives in their health drinks as soon as possible in order to protect citizens' health.

The use of chemical preservatives such as Methyl paraben and Propyl paraben for foods were already prohibited in 2008 when the side effects of such preservatives (i.e. reproductive toxicity) on one’s health were raised.

The Korean National Council of Consumer Organizations has continuously raised these issues since May 2010, and on July 14, 2010, we held a meeting with the concerning pharmaceutical companies and suggested to them that they remove these preservatives from their products by 2010.

Each company agreed to remove the chemicals as soon as possible after they come up with measures for conducting product safety, stability, and sensory tests and for introducing the appropriate machinery. However, their final removal dates were not that satisfactory except for companies that include Gwangdong Pharm (Gas Won Drink, By 2010), Donghwa Pharm (Gas Whal Myung Su-Q Drink, October 2010), and Yuhan Co. (Gwibo Drink, December 2010). Other companies such as Dong-A (Consumers' most favorite drink, Bacchus, by the early half of 2011), Jeil Pharm (Jinnokchen, by the latter half of 2011), Chongkundang Pharm (4 products, Sok Chung, by the latter half of 2011), and Samsung Pharm (Gas Myung Soo Drink and Guronsan-D Drink, by December 2011), plan to remove theses preservatives. (Refer to appendix).

Accordingly, consumers will still be exposed to general medicinal products (drinks) containing chemical preservatives in 2011.

The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations suggests that consumers check the ingredients of general medicinal products (drinks) until the latter half of 2011 before purchasing, as each pharmaceutical company will remove chemical preservatives from their products on different dates.

Appendix: A planning proposal for removing chemical preservatives by each product

August 16, 2010

The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations

Group Members

Green Consumers Network, Citizens Alliance for Consumer Protection of Korea, National Council of Housewives Classes, National Council of Housewives Classes, Korea Women's Association, Korea Consumer Affairs Institute, Consumers Union of Korea, Korea Consumer Education Center, National Council of YMCAs of Korea, and the YWCA of Korea

[Appendix] Pharmco's planning for the removal of preservatives

(July 26, 2010)