Tuesday, June 2, 2026

I just found out that South Korea doesn't do Myasthenia Gravis

 My son has this auto-immune disease and thought he might go do medical tourism to S. Korea. However, he found out that basically they don't even know what Mysathenia Gravis is. At least they don't know what it is in English. They might in Korean but my son isn't fluent enough in Korean to do the transition.

So, he realized he couldn't get medications there so he is going to have to cut his trip short.

However, it is true even here in the U.S. there are only 250,000 people with MG here in the U.S. so not many people have this condition. 

So, basically one of the problems with a strong case of Myasthenia Gravis is that without medication you will stop breathing and die. So, unless  you are taking medicine regularly you will die. So, my son has to take medicine about every 3 hours or so to stay alive ongoing. If you are awake of course you will keep manually breathing because you can still make your body breathe even if it won't do that on its own. 

However, if you are asleep you are dead.

So, Maybe people who get this auto-immune disease in S. Korea just die? I don't know because I don't know the Korean language or write or speak it so I'm not sure the answer to this question.

I asked the AI and this is what it said: (But, it says it is a top tier medical institution so medical help might be expensive which would defeat what my son is trying to do through medical tourism. not sure.

 
Yes, Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is actively treated in South Korea. Top-tier medical institutions like Severance Hospital in Seoul provide comprehensive care utilizing both conventional therapies (such as corticosteroids and immunosuppressants) and the latest advanced treatments.
Available Treatments
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has approved a variety of advanced medications for generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG), including:
  • Conventional Therapies: Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., pyridostigmine) and immunosuppressants.
  • Novel Autoantibody & Complement Inhibitors:
    • Vyvgart (efgartigimod alfa)
    • Ultomiris (ravulizumab)
    • Zilbrysq (zilucoplan)
    • Rystigo (rozanolixizumab)
Things to Keep in Mind
  • Insurance & Costs: While major hospitals deliver excellent care, the full cost of MG treatment for complex cases can be very high. Many of the newest, most expensive targeted drugs can pose a significant financial burden if they have not yet obtained full national health insurance reimbursement for every patient.
  • Hospital Settings: For specialized neurological care, major medical centers such as the Yonsei University Health System are central hubs for managing both typical and refractory (hard-to-treat) cases of Myasthenia Gravis in the country.
  • A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea
    Aug 12, 2025 — INTRODUCTION. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare, chronic autoantibody mediated neuromuscular disorder, characterized by skeletal mu...
    :: JKMS :: Journal of Korean Medical Science
  • Epidemiological profile of myasthenia gravis in South Korea ...
    Feb 9, 2022 — Abstract. Objectives: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. Our objective ...
    National Institutes of Health (.gov)
  • Handok's Vyvgart Receives Approval for Generalized ...
    Jan 20, 2025 — Home News Handok's Vyvgart Receives Approval for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treatment in South Korea. Handok's Vyvgart Receives...
    trial.medpath.com
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This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

 

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