The Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster in Korea: Implications for Preventive Medicine and Public Health

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.