Medical Professionals' Self-Prescription of 'Propofol' Banned Starting Next Month 7th

Up to Five Years in Prison or a Fine of Up to 50 Million Won for Violations

The act of healthcare professionals prescribing narcotic drugs with addictive and dependency potential to themselves will be prohibited.

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced on the 22nd that the "Prohibition of Self-Prescription of Medical Narcotics" system will be implemented on the 7th of next month.

Previously, the MFDS, in consultation with related organizations such as the Medical Association and the Hospital Association, designated 'Propofol,' which has the highest risk of misuse, as the first substance to be prohibited, and announced the draft amendment to the Narcotics Control Act Enforcement Rules containing this content for public comment on October 31 last year.

Once the system is implemented, doctors who self-prescribe Propofol will face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

Ahead of the system's implementation, the MFDS has taken steps to minimize confusion in medical settings and ensure the system is well established by sending recommendation letters and text messages to medical institutions with self-prescription histories and the respective doctors, urging them to refrain from such prescriptions.

Additionally, efforts are underway to improve prescription software functions to prevent doctors from prescribing narcotics to themselves. A discussion meeting involving prescription software developers and medical institutions will also be held to develop the system collaboratively.

The MFDS expects that by ensuring doctors receive narcotics prescriptions based on objective diagnosis and prescription, the prohibition of self-prescription will help prevent the misuse of medical narcotics.

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