Quarantine Headquarters Launches Campaign to Eradicate Illegal Online Sales of Veterinary Drugs and Promote Public Awareness
The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced on the 7th that it will launch a promotional campaign targeting consumers from this month to eradicate the illegal online trade of veterinary drugs, which has been rapidly increasing recently, along with blocking illegal online sales.
According to the Quarantine Agency, the number of blocked online transactions surged from 52 cases in 2021 to 1,368 cases in 2024. Veterinary drugs must be sold only by professionals at designated places such as animal hospitals and veterinary pharmacies. Violations are subject to criminal penalties under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 50 million KRW).
A representative from the Quarantine Agency stated, "Online sales of veterinary drugs are illegal, and veterinary drugs sold online are likely to be counterfeit or ineffective." They added, "Moreover, improper use without appropriate diagnosis and prescription can pose a serious threat to the health of companion animals." They further noted, "In particular, veterinary drugs purchased through overseas direct purchase platforms are mostly not approved domestically, and their safety and efficacy are not verified, which can worsen the health of companion animals."
The Quarantine Agency has continuously implemented measures to eradicate illegal online sales of veterinary drugs. Since 2016, it has been blocking illegal online sales sites, and from 2023, it has been imposing sanctions such as blocking illegal transactions on online sales platforms in cooperation with the Korea Online Shopping Association and the Korea Internet Corporations Association.
Additionally, since December last year, the Agency has expanded online monitoring of veterinary drugs by adding dedicated enforcement personnel in cooperation with the Korea Animal Medicine Association, and has established a cooperative system with internet companies and platform operators to block exposure of illegal trading sites through search engines and illegal transactions on secondhand trading platforms.
Along with crackdowns and sanctions to eradicate illegal online sales, the Quarantine Agency has posted card news and posters on the websites of online sales platforms and animal hospitals to inform that "veterinary drugs must be purchased only at designated places such as animal hospitals and veterinary pharmacies." Starting from the 6th, the Agency is also conducting a promotional campaign by posting promotional videos in the form of animated cartoons on the websites of related organizations and groups to make the information easily accessible to everyone.
Kim Jeong-hee, Director of the Quarantine Agency, said, "We will continue to do our best to eradicate the illegal distribution of veterinary drugs to protect the health of companion animals and others, and the cooperation of consumers will be a great help in eradicating illegal distribution." She added, "We ask that veterinary drugs be purchased only through legitimate channels such as animal hospitals and veterinary pharmacies."
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