Doctors are advised to check a patient's medication history for the past year when prescribing zolpidem. Zolpidem has a sedative effect and is used to treat insomnia. Because it carries high risks of addiction and dependence, a range of side effects can occur with long-term use. Do not prescribe more than 10 mg per day, and the treatment period should not exceed 4 weeks.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said on the 19th that it will include zolpidem in the list of medical narcotics subject to verification of prescription histories. Doctors can check a patient's prescription history in the medical shopping prevention information network and may choose not to prescribe zolpidem if misuse or abuse is a concern.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety began in 2024 with fentanyl and is operating a system that allows doctors to look up a patient's past prescriptions when prescribing narcotics such as ADHD medications and appetite suppressants. For fentanyl, after making prescription history checks mandatory, the volume prescribed fell by 17%.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said it plans to "gradually expand the system of verifying prescriptions to medical narcotics prone to misuse or abuse, like propofol."