The government said on the 13th that, starting at midnight, it will enforce a notice banning hoarding of syringes and needles, for which supply shortage concerns have grown due to the Middle East crisis. Until June 30, those who are caught deliberately stockpiling syringes and needles without selling them, or funneling them to specific companies, could face criminal penalties.

As the Middle East crisis drags on and restricts the supply of naphtha, a raw material for film packaging of medical products, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety announces on the 7th that it plans to intensively manage the production and supply of six items, including syringes, needles, and IV solution packaging. /Courtesy of News1

The government said it will enforce, from midnight to June 30, the Notice on the prohibition of hoarding of syringes and injection needles. Under the notice, manufacturers and sellers of syringes and needles must not store for five days or more, without selling, quantities equivalent to 1.5 times last year's average monthly sales, or refuse to sell without just cause.

Also, monthly sales must not exceed 10% of last year's average monthly sales. It is also prohibited to sell to the same outlet in a month in excess of the three-month average before the Middle East crisis began. Violations of the notice can result in corrective orders from the government and imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 100 million won under the Price Stabilization Act.

Due to the Middle East crisis, the shortage of naphtha, which emerges from the crude oil refining process, is dragging on. Naphtha is also used as a raw material for plastic, and plastic goes into various medical products such as syringes and needles.

Earlier, Minister Jung Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 7th, "We have secured quantities of syringes and needles sufficient to avoid major problems for one to three months or more." However, as frontline sites voiced anxiety that it is difficult to procure products, the government moved to issue the anti-hoarding notice.

A government official said, "This is intended to preemptively prevent confusion in medical settings by banning hoarding for profiteering and refusal to sell essential medical supplies." The official added, "We will establish and operate a hoarding-report center at the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, and the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety will run joint inspection teams with each city and province."

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