MFDS Requests Investigation of 16 Suspected Drug Abuse Shoppers and 9 Medical Institutions

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has requested an investigation into 16 patients suspected of drug-related medical shopping and 9 medical institutions that administered narcotic drugs.

Cases of Suspected Medical Shopping Addiction Patients and Overprescribing Medical Institutions Detected [Image Source=Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]

On the 16th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that, after inspecting 21 medical institutions suspected of violating the Narcotics Control Act in collaboration with the National Police Agency and local governments, they identified 16 patients suspected of drug-related medical shopping and 13 medical institutions suspected of prescription abuse.

One patient in their 20s was found to have visited up to six medical institutions in a single day during the analysis period of the Narcotics Integrated Management System (January 2022 to June 2023), receiving sedatives such as propofol, midazolam, and ketamine. The Ministry confirmed that this patient visited 101 medical institutions during the period, including seven frequently visited institutions suspected of medical shopping addiction among those inspected, totaling 100 visits, where they received overlapping and multiple doses of sedatives through skin treatments and other procedures.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety compiled such cases and, after consulting the 'Narcotics Abuse Review Committee' composed of experts from various fields, requested an investigation by the National Police Agency into 16 patients suspected of medical narcotics shopping and 9 medical institutions that administered narcotics such as propofol to these patients.

Among these, four medical institutions were also reported or referred for investigation due to confirmed violations related to prescriptions, medical records, and narcotics handling reports, or because investigation was deemed necessary. The results of these investigation requests (reports) will be managed from April through the '(tentative name) Narcotics Control Act Violation History Management System' in cooperation with the National Police Agency and others.

Additionally, six medical institutions that violated regulations, such as failing to prepare narcotics storage facility inspection logs, were referred to local governments for administrative sanctions.

An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "Through meticulous analysis of medical narcotics prescription and administration data reported to the Narcotics Integrated Management System, we plan to continuously analyze and select patients suspected of drug abuse and medical shopping addiction, as well as medical institutions with multiple prescriptions, to strengthen and continue inspections against abuse."

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