General Anesthetic Induction Agent "Etomidate" Designated and Managed as a Narcotic

Seven Substances of Abuse Concern Newly Designated as Narcotics by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on August 12 that it will revise and promulgate the Enforcement Decree of the Narcotics Control Act to newly designate a total of seven substances, including etomidate and other substances of abuse concern, as narcotics.

The substances newly designated as narcotics include etomidate and lemborexant, which the Domestic Narcotics Safety Management Review Committee determined should be managed as psychotropic drugs, as well as N-pyrrolidino protonitazene and others?seven in total?designated as narcotics by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).

Etomidate, a general anesthetic induction agent, had been designated and managed as a "drug of abuse concern" since 2020 due to illegal distribution. However, the Ministry explained that, as social issues continued to arise from some medical institutions illegally administering or abusing it as a substitute for propofol, they have proactively decided to designate it as a narcotic.

Once etomidate is designated as a narcotic, all stages from pharmaceutical importation to administration will be subject to mandatory reporting, enabling real-time government monitoring. This will allow authorities to promptly detect and investigate cases of potential abuse, thereby suppressing illegal distribution and administration.

The Ministry stated that, as the management of etomidate is changed from a drug of abuse concern to a narcotic, it will closely coordinate with pharmaceutical importers to ensure there are no disruptions in supply and will support appropriate distribution to medical sites.

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