Simplified Prescription for Oral Therapeutics... Supply Pharmacies Expanded to 2,000 Locations (Update)

Omitting the Prescription Recipient Information Input Step Starting Today

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The government is simplifying the prescription procedures to increase the prescription rate of oral COVID-19 treatments.

On the 29th, Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters briefing, "We have secured sufficient oral treatments and are promoting their active use for high-risk groups and other patients in need."

The simplification of prescription procedures begins today. Previously, after administering oral treatments, prescribers had to enter patient information into a separate patient management system, but this step has now been omitted.

An additional 942,000 doses will be contracted in the first week of next month and are expected to be introduced domestically in the second half of this year. The number of pharmacies supplying the treatments will expand from about 1,000 currently to 2,000 by the first week of next month.

Lee Ki-il, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said, "We have expanded the institutions authorized to prescribe oral treatments and are actively recommending prescriptions for high-risk groups aged 60 and over to ensure smooth prescription. We are consulting with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to address any field difficulties such as simplifying prescription procedures and expanding linked pharmacies."

Earlier, to increase the prescription rate of oral treatments this month, the quarantine authorities expanded supply volumes to nursing hospitals and facilities, and since the 20th, allowed in-hospital prescriptions at 1,092 respiratory clinics. They also conducted education and publicity targeting medical institutions and nursing hospitals/facilities.

So far, a total of 1,062,000 doses of oral treatments have been secured. Of these, 307,000 doses have been used, and 755,000 doses remain in stock. The administration rate for those aged 60 and over increased from 12.2% in May to 17.9% in June. The quarantine authorities expect that with the current stock, they can respond until October even if daily confirmed cases reach 300,000 and the prescription rate doubles.

Meanwhile, starting from the 8th of next month, administration of the preventive antibody agent "Evusheld" for immunocompromised individuals will begin. Evusheld is an injectable that directly administers antibodies to people who have difficulty forming immunity through COVID-19 vaccination alone due to immunosuppressive treatment or severe immunodeficiency, thereby providing preventive effects.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.