Cases of illegal online sales or advertising of medicines were uncovered one after another in the first half of this year and during focused inspections in the summer. In particular, most of the illegal distribution occurred through general shopping malls that sell Japanese medicines and other products from overseas.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said on the 13th that it asked bodies including the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to 432 cases of illegal online sales and advertising of medicines found to violate the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act through routine monitoring in the first half and focused inspections in July–August.
Of these, 222 cases were detected through routine monitoring in the first half, and 210 were identified in the two-week focused inspection from on the 27th to on the 7th.
The inspection is part of the "Online clean project for medicines" promoted by the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety together with the Korean Pharmaceutical Association, the Korea Pharmaceutical Traders Association, and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). Civil groups continuously monitor illegal online sales and advertising and report them to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, which then checks for legal violations and asks relevant agencies to block access.
Of the 210 cases uncovered in the focused inspection, 82.4% involved general shopping malls. Most were sites selling Japanese medicines and other products from overseas. By item, digestive aids accounted for 49.0%, the most, followed by eye drops at 34.8%.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety explained that medicines sold online may have unclear manufacturing and distribution channels, raising the possibility that they are counterfeit or deteriorated or contaminated products. It especially emphasized that even if side effects occur from taking or using illegal online medicines, it may be difficult to receive relief compared with officially distributed medicines.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety asked the public to use medicines through hospitals and pharmacies, following doctors' prescriptions or pharmacists' dispensing and medication counseling, and in accordance with prescribed methods and doses. The efficacy, indications, and dosage and administration of medicines approved in Korea can be checked on "Drug Safety Korea."
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue expanding cooperation with private organizations to strengthen monitoring of illegal online sales and advertising of medicines.