Anti-smoking treatment at public health centers was stopped

The MOHW establishes new regulations for supplements February-March Registered patients sharply reduced by 40% compared to the previous year

Research service through the NHIS, "Non-smoking patient incentive plan to improve"

From this year, the provision of smoking cessation treatments, such as Champix, through smoking cessation clinics in public health centers will disappear.

 

The MOHW recently removed the provision of anti-smoking treatment Bupropion and Varenicline services from smoking cessation clinics in public health centers by revising the guidelines for the '2020 Community Integrated Health Promotion Project' (Non-Smoking).

 

This is to prevent confusion and prescription of smoking cessation drugs through hospitals and clinics.

 

#The MOHW established a new nicotine supplement policy through smoking cessation clinics in the public health center.

 

However, if the target patient was prescribed a non-smoking treatment drug at a health center or clinics, the prescription of nicotine supplements was restricted.

 

It is a policy to establish a system linkage to check whether smoking treatment has been prescribed before supplements are prescribed.

 

.An official from the Health Promotion Section ( Section chief Young-Ki Jeong) said, "The guidelines have been revised because there has been confusion about the provision of smoking cessation drugs at smoking cessation clinics and health centers registered in the hospital's smoking cessation treatment business can prescribe smoking cessation treatments by doctors." However, the number of non-smoking patients who visited medical institutions due to the COVID-19 crisis has plummeted

 

.As a result of the Medical Times coverage, the number of patients who quit smoking in hospitals in February and March this year has dropped by nearly 40%

 

.Of the 14,000 hospitals registered for the NHIS' smoking cessation treatment business, 18, 811 patients registered in February, and 15,683 in March

 

.#This is a decrease of 26.2% and 39.7%, respectively, compared to 25,496 in February and 25,972 in March from the previous year (2019) The prescription of anti-smoking drugs for Bupropion and Varenicline prescribed by the hospital should be reduced

 

.According to data released by National Assembly Auditor Seung-hee Kim of the United Future Party in September of last year, the prescription amount of 'Champix' (Varenicline, Pfizer), the absolute strongest in anti-smoking treatment, In 2016, decreased from ₩39.1 billion to ₩50.7 billion in 2017, ₩37.2 billion in 2018, and ₩9.9 billion in January-June 2019

 

.Combined prescription amount of 'Wellbutrin SR 150mg' (GSK, Bupropion) and 'Nicopion SR 150mg' (Hanmi, Bupropion), another cessation treatment drugs are ₩1.2 billion in 2016, ₩680 million in 2017 , ₩810 million in 2018, and ₩3.3 billion in January-June 2019

 

.Patches, gums, etc

 

.were only ₩350 million in 2016, ₩280 million in 2017, ₩240 million in 2018, and ₩100 million in January-June 2019

 

.An official from the Insurance Benefits Division (Section chief Jung-gyu Lee) said that patients who quit smoking in hospitals have decreased due to the unexpected COVID-19 situation, and it is expected that the amount of prescription for smoking cessation treatment will also be reduced

 

.also he added that the exact numbers will need to be calculated

 

.The MOHW is currently in the process of researching the smoking cessation treatment business as the NHIS as research director

 

.An official in charge of the Insurance Benefits Division added, "The research service project is struggling due to the decrease in the number of non-smoking patients

 

.We will decide the policy direction based on the research results such as improving the success rate of smoking cessation and improving patient incentives." It is pointed out that in the medical community, in order to improve the effectiveness of the smoking cessation treatment business, the treatment consultations fee needs to be improved, and various measures should be taken, such as expanding the scope of prescriptions for anti-smoking treatments such as patches

 

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