O Yu-kyung, Director of MFDS, Reviews Progress of 'Pharmaceutical e-Label Display Service' Implementation

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced that Director Oh Yu-kyung (photo) visited Dong-A ST's Cheonan plant on the 13th to check the progress of the 'Pharmaceutical e-Label Display and Information Provision Service,' which is being promoted in line with improving information accessibility using mobile devices such as smartphones.

This service allows safety information provided in the pharmaceutical package inserts to be easily accessed via mobile phones by displaying QR codes or other electronic labels (e-labels) on medicine containers or packaging and linking them electronically to the company's website.

This on-site visit was arranged to confirm whether the 'Pharmaceutical e-Label Display and Information Provision Service,' which the MFDS identified as part of the 'Food and Drug Regulatory Innovation' initiative and has been piloted since April this year, is operating smoothly and to strengthen communication with the field.

At the site, Director Oh Yu-kyung inspected the production and distribution status of pharmaceuticals with e-labels applied, demonstrated scanning the QR code on the medicine packaging with a smartphone to provide safety information such as usage precautions for the medicine, and also listened to field opinions regarding the 'Pharmaceutical e-Label Display and Information Provision Service.'

Director Oh Yu-kyung emphasized, "This service was established to create an environment where consumers and healthcare professionals can utilize the latest pharmaceutical safety information more quickly and efficiently," adding, "This service is a low-carbon, eco-friendly system that enhances consumer readability of information and conserves resources."

Japan institutionalized pharmaceutical e-labels exempting paper package inserts for prescription drugs in 2021. Europe, Singapore, Taiwan, and others are currently promoting pharmaceutical e-label pilot projects similar to South Korea.

The MFDS has been comprehensively evaluating the pilot project results since October this year. Next year, the scope of the pilot project will be gradually expanded. Additionally, the MFDS plans to actively respond to social changes brought by digital transformation and provide the latest pharmaceutical information in various ways.