Suspicious Self-Prescriptions of Narcotics by Doctors: 105,601 Cases Over 4 Years

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Police Agency, and HIRA Jointly Inspect 'Self-Prescription' Until the 23rd
Cases of 'Proxy Prescription' Using Others' Names Followed by Self-Medication Also Found

[Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] It has been revealed that the amount of medical narcotics prescribed under suspicion of doctors' 'self-prescription' (self-prescribing) has reached 3.56 million tablets over the past four years. In response, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the National Police Agency, and the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service will conduct a joint planned inspection.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 16th, based on an analysis of big data from the Narcotics Integrated Management System, a joint planned inspection will be conducted by the National Police Agency and the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service by the 23rd on 35 medical institutions suspected of excessive prescriptions by doctors to themselves.

The main inspection items include △ handling of narcotics for purposes other than work, such as doctors excessively prescribing medical narcotics to themselves or patients △ proper management of narcotics storage, etc. If violations of the 'Narcotics Control Act' by medical institutions are confirmed as a result of the inspection, the relevant authorities will be requested to conduct investigations or administrative actions.

The reason for this crackdown is the rapid increase in suspected cases of doctors' self-prescription of narcotics. According to data submitted last month to Choi Yeon-sook, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee from the People Power Party, by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, suspected cases of doctors' self-prescription from May 2018 to June this year, a period of 4 years and 1 month, totaled 105,601 cases, with a prescription volume of 3,559,513 tablets.

The number of suspected self-prescription cases by year was △ May to December 2018: 14,167 cases △ 2019: 25,439 cases △ 2020: 26,141 cases △ 2021: 26,179 cases, and 13,675 cases up to June this year. During the same period, the prescription volumes were △ May to December 2018: 455,940 tablets △ 2019: 838,700 tablets △ 2020: 872,292 tablets △ 2021: 871,442 tablets △ January to June 2022: 521,139 tablets.

The estimated number of doctors suspected of self-prescribing narcotics was △ May to December 2018: 5,681 △ 2019: 8,185 △ 2020: 7,879 △ 2021: 7,736 △ January to June 2022: 5,698, which correspond to 6.0%, 8.1%, 7.7%, 7.4%, and 5.6% respectively of all doctors with narcotics prescription history during the same period.

Despite the large number of suspected narcotics cases, there have been criticisms that the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's investigations are very limited. Over the past two years, the Ministry inspected 42 medical institutions with the highest prescription volumes for certain narcotics ingredients such as propofol and appetite suppressants, and requested investigations for 24 cases. Among them, 8 cases were sent to the prosecution, 3 are under investigation, and 9 cases were closed without further action.

Not only self-prescription but also cases of narcotics abuse where individuals used proxy prescriptions by stealing others' identities to administer narcotics to themselves have been identified. According to data submitted to Representative Choi by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, among 61 doctors who received administrative sanctions for narcotics administration and prescription since 2018, 7 were found to have self-administered narcotics through self-prescription, proxy prescriptions under others' names, or purchase. In particular, there were cases where not only patient identity was stolen but also other doctors' identities were used to receive a total of 3,696 tablets of narcotics prescribed 184 times and self-administered.

Representative Choi said, "It is problematic that despite repeated confirmations of illegal narcotics use and abuse by doctors, there has been no accurate assessment of self-prescription until now," and emphasized, "A system should be established to enable real-time monitoring of self-prescriptions within the Narcotics Integrated Management System, similar to the Defense Medical Information System."