Current status of registry of vaccine clinical trials conducted by Korean investigators in ClinicalTrials.gov, database of US National Institutes of Health

PURPOSE: PubMed is not only includes international medical journals but also has a registration site for the ongoing clinical trials, such as ClinicalTrials.gov, under the supervision of US National Institutes of Health. We analyzed current status of vaccine clinical trials conducted by Korean investigators in database of ClinicalTrial.gov. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As of October 2012, there are total of 72 trials found on registry of vaccine clinical trials conducted by Korean investigators in database of ClinicalTrial.gov. These trials were analyzed and classified by conditions of vaccine clinical trials, biologicals or drugs used in vaccine clinical trials, status of proceeding research, and list of sponsor and collaborators. RESULTS: Total 72 trials of vaccine clinical trials conducted by Korean investigators are classified by groups of infection (64 trials), cancer (4 trials), and others (4 trials). Infections group shown are as follows: poliomyelitis, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (10), influenza (9), human papillomavirus infection (8), pneumococcal vaccine (6), herpes zoster (4), smallpox (4), hepatitis B (4), etc. One trial of each in lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer are shown in cancer group. One trial of each in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, renal failure, and rheumatoid arthritis are shown in other group. CONCLUSION: Vaccine clinical trials conducted by Korean investigators in ClinicalTrial.gov reflects the current status of Korean research on vaccine clinical trials at the international level and can indicate research progress. It is hoped that this aids the development of future vaccine clinical trials in Korea.

Breastfeeding Rate in Below 6 Months Infants during Recent 6-year in Korea Based on Childcare Database

PURPOSE: Breastfeeding is ideal diet for young infant and worldwidely recommended by many guidelines of authoritative centers. We investigated breastfeeding rate of young infant during recent 6-year in Korea and analyzed the tendency of it. METHODS: The subjectives were young infants whose mothers registered in childcare database of Mail dairies Co., Ltd. We surveyed exclusive breast feeding rate, mixed feeding rate, exclusive artificial milk feeding rate and ever breastfed rate at 1st week after birth and every months of age from the first to sixth months and assessed the changes of them during recent 6-year (2007-2012) in Korea. RESULTS: During the recent 6-year (2007-2012), the means of exclusive breastfeeding rates from the birth to 6th month in age were 34% for 1 week, 38% for 1 month, 42% for 2 months, 39% for 3 months, 33% for 4 months, 27% for 5 months and 25% for 6 months. The exclusive breastfeeding rate had been increased at 1 week, 1 month, 4 to 6 months aged infants during the recent 6-year. The mixed feeding rate had not been changed significantly and the exclusive artificial milk feeding rate had been decreased. Also, ever breastfed rate had been increased at 1 week to 2 months aged infants and had not been changed significantly at 4 to 6 months aged infants. CONCLUSION: The young infant's breastfeeding rate in Korea had been increased in recent 6-year from 2007 to 2012 and should be further increased.

Current status of production and market of human vaccine products in Korea

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to build basic information related to the production and market of human vaccine products in Korea, which can be an important indicator to provide basic data in practical use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Statistical data were obtained from the Bank of Korea, Korea Health Industry Development Institute, Korea Pharmaceutical Traders Association, and Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. RESULTS: Vaccines are the 10th ranked drugs in the classification of whole complete preparated drugs. The production output of vaccines in Korea was 392.2 billion KRW in 2011, comprising 2.83% of complete preparated drug production output (13 trillion 880.8 billion KRW) and 2.54% of medical-pharmaceutical product output (15 trillion 440.3 billion KRW). The market scale of vaccines in Korea was 710 billion KRW in 2011, with an annual average growth rate of 11% in the past 6 years, comprising 2% of vaccine market in the world. There was also a significant increase in essential vaccines and other preventive vaccines in a global scale. CONCLUSION: Vaccines have the potential of becoming an emerging attractive industry. Based on the current analysis about the production of vaccine products and market scale, further development of the vaccine industry is expected in Korea.