
PMID- 42526877
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20260813
LR  - 20260815
IS  - 2233-4521 (Electronic)
IS  - 1975-8375 (Print)
IS  - 1975-8375 (Linking)
VI  - 59
IP  - 4
DP  - 2026 Jul
TI  - The Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster in Korea: Implications for Preventive 
      Medicine and Public Health.
PG  - 337-342
LID - 10.3961/jpmph.26.248 [doi]
AB  - The humidifier disinfectant disaster in Korea was one of the most severe 
      environmental health disasters of recent decades. It showed that indoor household 
      chemical products used in daily life can cause fatal health effects at the 
      population level when inhalation risks are not adequately assessed before 
      marketing. The disaster also reaffirmed the central role of epidemiology in 
      detecting emerging environmental health threats and guiding public health 
      responses. Fifteen years after the disaster was recognized, major challenges 
      remain, including defining the full spectrum of health damage, providing 
      compensation, and ensuring long-term support. The Special Act on Remedy for 
      Damage Caused by Humidifier Disinfectants, fully amended in 2026, represents an 
      important institutional advance. By explicitly defining the joint liability of 
      the state and relevant companies, the amended Act reflects a shift toward a more 
      public, state-administered system of compensation and health support. This 
      disaster also highlights the roles of public health professionals in generating 
      epidemiological evidence on delayed or newly recognized diseases and sequelae, 
      applying that evidence in clinical and policy contexts, and establishing 
      life-course-based lifelong health management programs. For the 2026 comprehensive 
      amendment to produce meaningful progress, continued efforts are needed to clarify 
      long-term health effects and refine health data-based surveillance systems so 
      that scientific evidence can be translated effectively into policy.
FAU - Park, Sue K
AU  - Park SK
AD  - Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 
      Seoul, Korea. suepark@snu.ac.kr.
AD  - Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. 
      suepark@snu.ac.kr.
AD  - Integrated Major in Innovative Medical Science, Seoul National University College 
      of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. suepark@snu.ac.kr.
AD  - Genomic Medicine Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, 
      Seoul, Korea. suepark@snu.ac.kr.
FAU - Lim, Woojin
AU  - Lim W
AD  - Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 
      Seoul, Korea.
AD  - Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
FAU - Lee, Dong-Wook
AU  - Lee DW
AD  - Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 
      Seoul, Korea.
FAU - Ha, Mina
AU  - Ha M
AD  - Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, 
      Cheonan, Korea.
FAU - Lee, Chang Hyun
AU  - Lee CH
AD  - Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
AD  - Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 
      Korea.
AD  - Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research 
      Center, Seoul, Korea.
AD  - Department of Medical Device Development, Seoul National University College of 
      Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
FAU - Cheong, Hae-Kwan
AU  - Cheong HK
AD  - Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of 
      Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20260721
PL  - Korea (South)
TA  - J Prev Med Public Health
JT  - Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi
JID - 101242972
RN  - 0 (Disinfectants)
SB  - IM
MH  - Humans
MH  - *Disinfectants/adverse effects
MH  - *Public Health
MH  - Republic of Korea
MH  - *Humidifiers
MH  - *Disasters
PMC - PMC13470086
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Causality
OT  - Environmental health
OT  - Epidemiology
OT  - Household products
OT  - Humidifier disinfectant disaster
OT  - Precautionary regulation
COIS- Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest associated with 
      the material presented in this paper.
EDAT- 2026/07/30 00:38
MHDA- 2026/08/13 05:35
PMCR- 2026/07/01
CRDT- 2026/07/29 19:38
PHST- 2026/03/19 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2026/07/14 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2026/08/13 05:35 [medline]
PHST- 2026/07/30 00:38 [pubmed]
PHST- 2026/07/29 19:38 [entrez]
PHST- 2026/07/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - jpmph.26.248 [pii]
AID - jpmph-26-248 [pii]
AID - 10.3961/jpmph.26.248 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Prev Med Public Health. 2026 Jul;59(4):337-342. doi: 10.3961/jpmph.26.248. Epub 
      2026 Jul 21.
