Seoul, November 29 (IANS). South Korea’s Health Ministry said in a decision that it will ban remote prescription of weight loss drugs to prevent possible abuse.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the decision to ban remote prescription of weight loss drugs will be effective from Monday, with a two-week grace period, Yonhap news agency reported.
The move comes amid growing concerns over abuse and illegal sale of such drugs due to the growing popularity of Wegovi, developed by Denmark-based Novo Nordisk.
The health ministry said the government also plans to establish guidelines for telemedicine consultation regarding such drugs within the first half of 2025.
South Korea has temporarily allowed telemedicine consultations amid the ongoing strike by trainee doctors at general hospitals. This strike started from February.
Wegovi was launched in South Korea on November 15. It is a weight loss drug that can treat obesity and has attracted international attention as a “miracle weight loss drug”.
The Health Ministry stressed that medical institutions should avoid promoting the drug in a way that leads patients to believe that it can be easily administered for general weight loss, and through telemedicine. Special care should be taken to prevent misuse while prescribing the medicine.
According to current rules, Vegovy should be given only to patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. Adults with a BMI between 27 and 30 who have problems like high blood pressure or dyslipidemia may also be given this medicine.
The Health Ministry has also requested medical institutions to comply with the approval conditions of the Food and Drug Safety Administration. It states that before prescribing the medicine, patients should be informed about the possible side effects.
–IANS
MKS/AS
