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- 2025-12-18 05:17:17
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- Price of Pulmican, Pulmicort, Tantum Sol to be raised in Jan
- by Kang Hye-Kyung Dec 27, 2024 05:56am
- As of January 1 next year, items including Pulmican, Pulmicort, and Tantum Sol which are set to receive price hikes, will demand the pharmacists' attention. According to a notice from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 24th, the price of ▲ Whanin Imipramine HCl Tab 25mg ▲ Lithan Tab ▲ Myungin Lithium Carbonate Tab ▲ Myungin Lithium Carbonate Tab 150mg ▲ Whanin Trazodone HCl Cap ▲Spiracton Tab 50mg ▲ Pulmican Suspension for Nebulizer ▲ Pulmicort Respule 0.5mg/2mL ▲ Sama Tantum Sol. (100mL) ▲ Movizolo Tab 1mg ▲ Movizolo Tab 2mg ▲ Lavopa Inj ▲ Pine Inj 1000IU/mL ▲ Greencross Heparin Sodium Inj ▲Pine Inj 5000IU/mL ▲ Alkeran Tab will be increased. The price of Pulmican Suspension for Nebulizer will be increased by KRW 126 from 1,121 won to 'KRW 1,247,’ and Pulmicort Respule Nebulized Suspension will be increased by KRW 255 to 'KRW 1,380.’ Sama Tantum Sol's price will increase by KRW 311 from KRW 1,000 to 1,311. There are also items whose drug prices will be reduced. ▲ Epyztek PFS, ▲ Epyztek IV Inj. ▲ Olumiant Tab 2mg, ▲ Olumiant Tab 4mg, ▲ Tremfya Prefilled Syringe Inj, ▲ Tremfya One Press Auto-Injector Inj, ▲ Rinvoq ER Tab 15mg, ▲ Rinvoq ER Tab 30mg, ▲ Entresto Film Coated Tab 100mg, ▲ Entresto Film Coated Tab 200mg, ▲ Entresto Film Coated Tab 50mg, ▲ Alprolix Injection, ▲ Sugar Tree XR Tab, ▲ Vegzelma In, ▲ Pomalyst Cap 1mg, ▲ Pomalyst Cap 1mg 2mg, ▲ Pomalyst Cap 3mg, ▲ Pomalyst Cap 4mg, etc. are included for price cuts. Meanwhile, the prices of Pulmicort Respule Nebulized Suspension and Pulmican will be raised in just one year, as the public-private council has recently requested a preemptive drug price increase to secure domestic imports as Pulmicort supply and demand in global markets such as Japan and Canada.
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- Gout drug allopurinol side effect alert
- by Kang, Shin-Kook Nov 20, 2024 06:08am
- As reports of adverse reactions to allopurinol, a drug prescribed for gout, continue to mount, health authorities are calling for genetic testing of patients before prescribing it to prevent side effects. According to medical and pharmaceutical associations on the 19th, the NMC Adverse Drug Reaction Committee recently reviewed applications for side effect damage relief of allopurinol-containing medicines and suggested the need for medical institutions to be informed of the ‘reimbursement of genetic testing before prescribing allopurinol.’ A notice regarding the reimbursement of genotyping fees before the first administration of allopurinol for all patients was issued in August 2021, but the committee believes the notice should be revised to request testing before prescribing. Allopurinol may cause a rare and potentially fatal Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reaction (SCAR). Examples include Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and drug hypersensitivity syndrome. As of 2023, allopurinol was the No. 1 drug (ingredient) causing adverse drug reactions in Korea, according to the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management. The MFDS explained that “allopurinol-induced SCARs are highly associated with the HLA-B5801 allele,” and that Koreans have a higher rate of the gene than Westerners, allowing the prevention of adverse reactions through genetic testing. As a result, doctors and pharmacists should pay attention to follow-up, guidance, and medication guidance for allopurinol’s side effects.
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- MOHW cautions non-face-to-face Wegovy prescriptions
- by Kang Hye-Kyung Nov 13, 2024 05:55am
- The government has asked medical institutions for cooperation in making indiscriminate Wegovy prescriptions. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 11th through the medical community, “Regarding Wegovy, which was recently released as a treatment for obesity, medical institutions are issuing prescriptions without sufficiently examining the patient's condition, raising concerns of its abuse and misuse.” The ministry emphasized, ”Wegovy is administered as an aid for weight management for obese patients, and side effects may occur if used regardless of the patient's medical condition.” The MOHW also asked institutions to comply with the MFDS’s approved indication, which specifies Wegovy’s use as an adjunct for managing weight in people with ▲a BMI of 30 kg/m² or greater (obesity) or ▲a BMI of at least 27 kg/m² but less than 30 kg/m² who have weight-related health problems (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of fats in the blood, breathing problems during sleep called ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’ or a history of heart attack, stroke or blood vessel problems), or to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or stroke) in people with confirmed cardiovascular disease who are ▲either obese or overweight with a BMI of at least 27 kg/m². They also ordered that patients should be properly screened to determine if they are eligible and that they should be informed of possible side effects, including gallbladder disease, intestinal obstruction, aspiration pneumonia, pancreatitis, acute heart injury, hypoglycemia, various gastrointestinal, metabolic, neurological disorders, and suicidal thoughts. In addition, the ministry asked doctors to be careful not to mislead patients into believing that Wegoby can easily be prescribed for weight loss, and to be vigilant in preventing the misuse of such drugs during virtual visits.
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- KTIC, ’21s Wegovy prescriptions, not a telemedicine issue'
- by Kang, Hye-Kyung Nov 07, 2024 05:47am
- the platform industry has spoken out to state its opinion regarding the government’s move to restrict non-face-to-face prescriptions in response to the criticism that 'obesity drugs are being easily prescribed – just in 21 seconds - through non-face-to-face medical treatment platforms.’ While the platform industry sympathizes with social concerns, the essence of the problem, such as the misuse of Wegovy, does not lie in the mode of consultation, whether it is face-to-face or non-face-to-face. On the 6th, the Korean Telemedicine Industry Council (represented by Jae-won Sun, Seul Lee, KTIC) announced its ‘Position regarding the concerns over misuse of obesity drugs through non-face-to-face medical treatment platforms,’ stating, “Since the recent launch of new obesity drugs, some influencers and patients have been found to have used non-face-to-face medical treatment in the process of prescribing the drugs, raising concerns. But the root of the problem of misuse of obesity drugs does not lie in the mode of consultation.” KTIC claims that the misuse of anti-obesity medications can occur regardless of the mode of consultation and that the problem stems from the prescribing and medication guidance process. “Therefore, various social efforts, such as strengthening DUR registration to improve transparency and the doctors’ and pharmacists' compliance with laws and regulations, are essential to essentially solve the problem of off-label drug abuse, including obesity drugs. The platform does not directly intervene in prescribing and dispensing, but will contribute to the doctors’ and pharmacists’ law abidance and prevention of drug abuse through technical support.” The association also emphasized that telemedicine overseas focuses on “preparing safety measures” rather than “putting restrictions.” Rather than looking at telemedicine as the cause of the problem, KTIC emphasized the need to put in place specific controls to ensure the safety of prescribing and medication use. The UK has implemented transparency improving guidelines for pharmacies and medical institutions to manage certain medicines, and the US is known to be improving its management system to ensure the safety of generic obesity drugs. The KTIC pledged to prepare practical and concrete management measures to improve the accessibility and safety of non-face-to-face medical treatment. “It is a clear fact that the high convenience of non-face-to-face medical treatment, which enables access to medical services without time and space constraints, enhances people's rights and interest in healthcare, but apart from this good function, we deeply sympathize with the social concerns that have been raised with the recent launch of new obesity drugs,” they said. As a member of the non-face-to-face healthcare delivery system, we will strive to enhance people's medical access and safety while addressing various social concerns that have been raised with the launch of new obesity drugs.” The council will work closely with the relevant authorities to provide input to help formulate measures to improve access to healthy healthcare, while actively guiding participating medical institutions and pharmacies to comply with relevant laws and MFDS indications in the prescribing and dispensing process. “The council will continue to pay attention to various concerns and opinions on-site to protect the public's health and make efforts to establish telemedicine as a trusted medical service.”
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- KMA ‘non-face-to-face Wegovy prescriptions cause harm'
- by Kang, Shin-Kook Oct 30, 2024 05:53am
- A Korean doctor's association has called for an immediate halt to the government's plan to allow non-face-to-face medical treatment. The Korean Medical Association (Chairman Hyun-Taek Lim) issued a statement on the 28th claiming, “The government should immediately stop allowing all non-face-to-face medical treatment as its pilot project and ensure that the non-face-to-face treatment pilot project is operated only as a supplementary means for returning patients, under the principle of face-to-face treatment.” The Ministry of Health and Welfare implemented a pilot project for non-face-to-face treatment in June last year, focusing on clinic-level medical institutions and returning patients who have received face-to-face medical treatment, and then allowed overall non-face-to-face treatment as a pilot project in February this year. In response, the Korean Medical Association pointed out, “With the full permit of non-face-to-face treatment, online platforms are encouraging patients to use non-face-to-face treatment platforms through various advertisements, SNS, influencers, and other promotional activities. Rather than providing essential medical treatment services for returning patients that have received face-to-face treatment, patients are being seriously induced to receive non-reimbursed initial medical treatment related to beauty such as hair loss, diet, and acne through online medical platforms.” “In the case of Wegovy, an injectable obesity drug that has been controversially overprescribed through non-face-to-face online platforms, the manufacturer suggests gallstones, hair loss, and indigestion as common side effects, and in rare cases, fatal side effects such as pancreatitis can occur, so it is a specialty drug that should be prescribed through BMI criteria. However, due to the full allowance of non-face-to-face medical treatment, consumers, not patients, can easily acquire and abuse specialty drugs, and we would like to question whether this is in line to allow non-face-to-face treatment,’ said KMA. It added, “To prevent the distortion of the medical market and indiscriminate prescriptions caused by non-face-to-face treatment and the damage to public health, we need to restrict prescription of non-face-to-face treatment for drugs that should be prescribed after strictly identifying the patient's condition. As such, the government should strengthen the monitoring system for online platform companies and prepare measures against factors that may disrupt the medical market.”
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- AZ seeks to reaffirm Tagrisso’s position in NSCLC
- by Moon, sung-ho Oct 25, 2024 05:49am
- Se-hoon Lee, a Professor at Samsung Medical Center, recently gained attention by publishing a study on Leclaza (lazertinib, Yuhan Corp), a domestic third-generation EGFR TKI (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor). With the advent of another option to the global standard therapy option Tagrisso (osimertinib) increasing the number of treatment options to two and rendering choices difficult on-site, Dailpharm met with Lee to hear his thoughts on treatment strategies that should be implemented in the clinical field? Sehoon Lee, MD, Professor of Hematology/Oncology at Samsung Medical Center, spoke at an event hosted by AstraZeneca on the 11thto evaluate the value of Tagrisso amid the growing number of treatment options for EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As the event was hosted by AstraZeneca, Professor Lee first described Tagrisso as a ‘model’ treatment for the development of EGFR TKIs, starting with Iressa (gefitinib). In particular, the recent increase in the number of patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, particularly in East Asia, has made TKIs more relevant, said Lee. “Recently, the number of non-smoking lung cancer patients has been increasing, and many of them are EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients,” said Lee. “And new therapies have emerged, starting with Tagrisso. So it is now time for us to establish treatment strategies using third-generation EGFR TKIs.’ So what does Professor Lee see as the future strategy for lung cancer treatment? In the domestic market, the addition of Tagrisso monotherapy and chemotherapy combination therapy, as well as Leclaza monotherapy as first-line treatments for NSCLC, has rendered choice difficult for clinicians who have to prescribe treatments. At the same time, the US FDA has approved the Leclaza+Rybrevant combination therapy, and this may soon be approved in the domestic market as well. When asked about the differences between the two drugs, Professor Lee described the current situation as a ‘complex era’. While he considers Tagrisso to be the standard option, he also sees the newer drug as being in an ‘equal’ position. In other words, Tagrisso's position as a standard option remains unwaivered, even though the Leclaza+Rybrevant combination is recommended as first-line therapy in the NCCN guidelines. “I presented a study on Leclaza at the World Congress of Lung Cancer (WCLC), and we carefully discussed the evaluated study results with the sponsor, Janssen, to clarify the wording and terminology,’ says Lee. ’The gist of the presentation was that there was a possibility that lasertinib+amivantamab may be more beneficial.” He also noted the OS data for Tagrisso+chemotherapy, which is approved in Korea but is currently only available on a non-reimbursed basis. “Tagrisso monotherapy demonstrated a median overall survival of 38.6 months in the first-line treatment of EGFR-mutated NSCLC.” said Lee, adding that “Tagrisso+chemotherapy showed a significant PFS extension effect compared to monotherapy, despite the inclusion of more than twice as many patients with central nervous system metastases.” ‘The combination showed a significant improvement in survival over Tagrisso monotherapy, with a PFS of 24.9 months in patients with central nervous system metastases and 24.7 months in patients with the L858R mutation,” said Lee. ’While the data are still immature, the widening gap in OS data is now being observed, and we look forward to seeing the final data.”
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- Stockpiled COVID-19 drugs soon to expire in KOR
- by Kim JiEun Oct 23, 2024 05:49am
- A corona drug that caused a crisis due to its shortage has become a nuisance, an inventory glut, in just 3-4 months. In August, the government additionally distributed large quantities of the treatments, but the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases plummeted. The expiry date of the supply is approaching, raising the possibility of mass discarding of the high-priced drugs. As of the 23rd, the drug distribution industry and pharmacies are closely monitoring the change in the supply of COVID-19 drugs such as Paxlovid Tab and Veklury Inj, as these will be reimbursed through national health insurance from the 25th. It has been confirmed that there are still some stocks of Paxlovid and Lagevrio that were supplied to pharmacies by the government in late August. The issue is that the expiry date of the government’s additional supply is nearing. The extra supply was provided via an emergency purchase by the government and is due to expire in January next year. This means that the stockpiles of COVID-19 drugs in COVID-19 dedicated pharmacies have less than 3 months left. In some pharmacy communities, pharmacy-to-pharmacy exchanges are being attempted, but there is currently no demand. “The demand was so high that the dedicated pharmacies had taken as much extra supply as they could, which coincidentally coincided with the drop in confirmed COVID-19 cases, which has left them with excess stock,” said a local pharmacist. “I think it's safe to say that there has been virtually no prescribing since September. We've had very little response to posts on our local dedicated pharmacy group chat for pharmacies in need of stock.” The pharmacist added, ”‘The extra supplies have a short expiration date, set to expire in less than two to three months, so if the outbreak doesn't resurface in November or December, the expiration date of the drugs will either have to be extended or be discarded.” The distribution industry believes that despite the change in the supply system from government supply to commercial distribution upon reimbursement of COVID-19 drugs with national health insurance finances, it would not be easy to commercially distribute the drug immediately. This is because the government is reportedly aiming to first exhaust the existing supply from the market. A pharmaceutical wholesaler said, “There is no set date for the commercial distribution of COVID-19 drugs. Drug distributors are also checking with interest due to their reimbursement listing, but I heard that the KDCA recently requested pharmaceutical companies to delay the release of the general distribution as much as possible. I know that there is a lot of stock left in existing pharmacies, so using it up first is being discussed. The current stock on the market has an expiration date of only about 3 months, which is why the government has decided to use it up first.” The wholesaler added, “I believe the drugs for commercial distribution will be released when the current stock is exhausted. When I asked the pharmaceutical company, they said that the timing is not clear and that they need to see the trend, such as whether the existing stock is exhausted. We can't rule out the possibility of the existing stock being mixed up with the commercially distributed items.”
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- Illegal errand companies deliver Wegovy for ₩10,000
- by Jung, Heung-Jun Oct 22, 2024 05:52am
- Amid the craze for obesity treatment drug Wegovy, errand companies are also thriving by offering pharmacy proxy pick-up and delivery services. These are illegal businesses that take advantage of the fact that consumers are looking for a low-priced source of the non-reimbursed drug, as the price varies greatly depending on the pharmacy. There are posts on diet communities that claim to have purchased Wegovy at a low price in the KRW 400,000 range. Some people said that they called the pharmacy to check the price, while others said that they found a lower price through non-face-to-face treatment venues. Some people also wrote that they received Wegovy packaged in a cooler from another region. When the reporter checked with the pharmacy that offered Wegovy delivery, they were using an errand delivery service. The pharmacy representative said, ‘We don't offer delivery services for Wegovy,” but gave me the contact details of a courier service. They explained that the pharmacy has been contacted repeatedly due to the courier service’s promotion. Although the pharmacy does not deliver directly, they are tacitly allowing the act. “They charge KRW 10,000 for 1-2 pens and KRW 12,000 for 3-5 pens,” said A, who introduced himself as an errand-running company. If you use non-face-to-face treatment services, you can send the prescription to the pharmacy and then contact them for us to receive and deliver the medicine,” A explained. After submitting the prescription to the pharmacy, the customer can exchange the detailed address and account number for the Wegovy delivery through A. A also added a condition that the customer should leave a review on online cafes and communities. “I don’t make much with the deliveries. To make a profit, we need multiple delivery orders,’ said A, adding, ’Please leave your reviews online.’ Meanwhile, pharmacies are also focusing on stocking up and selling Wegovy in line with shifting attention from Saxenda to Wegovy. Low doses are selling out quickly. Lawmakers are also posting reviews of Wegovy use on social media to promote in-patient prescriptions. The selling price of the drug, which can be checked through non-face-to-face treatment websites, varied greatly on the first day of its release, but as of today (21st), the drug’s price is set in the KRW 500,000 range.
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- Consumers use tricks to receive Wegovy prescriptions
- by Kang, Hye-Kyung Oct 22, 2024 05:51am
- With heating interest in the obesity drug Wegovy, the way-around measures the consumers are taking to receive prescriptions are causing controversy. From how to receive Wegovy through non-face-to-face treatment venues without the legwork to how to split the high-dose formulations being shared online, concerns are growing over the drug’s misuse. The first issue is non-qualified prescriptions. Prescriptions that ignore the prescribing criteria, such as obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or more, are becoming widespread, and one of the outlets for such is the non-face-to-face treatment platforms. As influencers with tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers are revealing the fact that they have been prescribed Wegovy, non-face-to-face treatment platforms such as ‘Dr Now’ and ‘My Doctor’ are being mentioned as venues for such prescriptions. You can receive a prescription for up to 5 pens of Wegovy through non-face-to-face treatment, and can also compare drug prices at pharmacies. The reason for choosing non-face-to-face treatment is that it is easier to receive prescriptions and dispense compared to face-to-face treatment. Although some prescribing medical institutions have been promoting Wegovy prescription through press releases, blogs, and social media including Instagram, hospitals and pharmacies have not yet been able to secure enough supplies, which is why patients are turning their attention to non-face-to-face treatment, which is relatively easier to receive prescriptions and dispensing. These platforms allow users to check the information, contact details, and prices of Wegovy in pharmacies with stock at a glance, making it easy to receive Wegovy without having to make many phone calls. Looking at the non-face-to-face treatment platforms, the price of Wegovy prescriptions by pen ranges from KRW 5,000 for 1 pen, KRW 7500 for 2 pens, KRW 10,000 for 3 pens, and KRW 10,000 to KRW 15,000 for 4 pens. For dispensing, a pharmacy in Gwangju had the lowest price in the country at KRW 419,000. In addition, some blogs and other websites have been sharing advice on how to get prescriptions easily, with tips such as ‘raising your weight.’ Another problem is the indiscriminate spread of information on its off-label use, such as ‘how to use Wegovy at half the price’. The correct way to start from the 0.25mg dose, then increase to 0.5mg, 1.0mg, 1.7mg, and 2.4mg over a four-week titration period, but many people have been prescribed 2.4mg and have been sharing tips such as splitting the dose into multiple doses. In fact, one doctor described it as ‘using the same drug at half the price’ and said, ‘I just use a 2.4mg syringe from the start. Then you can use a single syringe for four 0.25mg doses = 1/4 syringe, and four 0.5mg doses = 1/2 syringe, and so on.’ The argument is that since the price per dose is the same, it's more cost-effective to take one pen of 0.25mg over 4 doses than one pen of 0.5mg over 8 doses. It's also easier to stock the higher doses than the starter doses of 0.25mg and 0.5mg. Pharmacists are wary that their fears are being realized. Pharmacist A pointed out that “non-face-to-face treatment is promoting medical shopping in conjunction with the Wegovy craze. Shouldn't there be sanctions against random prescriptions and off-label use that are being conducted with non-face-to-face treatment?” Pharmacist B also said, “I am concerned that the Wegovy craze is spreading like a fad on social media without any warnings or side effects.” In particular, regarding dividing the high-dose formulation, B added, “Wegovy can be stored for up to 6 weeks after opening. If you split the dose, you'll be forced to take it beyond that period. I don't think I can give such advice from a professional perspective.” ‘The role of the government, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare professionals will be crucial in tackling this Wegovy craze,’ he added. The Korea Pharmaceutical Association also said it plans to respond strongly to concerns such as the abuse of non-face-to-face Wegovy prescriptions and the delivery by documenting cases. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk has warned patients in its patient instructions not to use Wegovy Prefilled Pen if they are hypersensitive (allergic) to semaglutide or any of the drug's excipients, or if they are pregnant, nursing mothers, etc., and emphasized patients to refrain from using the drug unless indicated.
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- Wegovy's price varies by pharmacy in Korea
- by Jung, Heung-Jun Oct 17, 2024 05:51am
- The price of Wegovy, which has been attracting much attention since its launch in Korea, has been found to vary greatly, ranging from KRW 420,000 to KRW 800,000. Some pharmacists who have not yet decided on the selling price are referring to the prices of in-house prescriptions at hospitals and local pharmacies. The prices of Wegovy at pharmacies listed on some non-face-to-face treatment platforms this morning (16th) varied widely. The platforms disclose the prices of non-reimbursed drugs set by pharmacies, such as those for diet and hair loss, so viewers can check the prices of not only Wegovy but also Saxenda. Even pharmacies in the same district had large price differences, as identified through non-face-to-face treatment platforms While the price of Saxenda is somewhat established, varying by 5-10% among pharmacies, the price range of Wegovy, which is in its early stages of release, varies by over twofold among pharmacies. The selling price set by pharmacies varies from 420,000 won to 800,000 won. Most pharmacies in the Seoul metropolitan area set the selling price at over KRW 500,000. However, there are cases where the price varies by KRW 200,000 even in the same district, so the price is expected to be adjusted gradually after distribution begins in earnest. Saxenda, which was launched in Korea in 2018, was also initially priced differently by clinics and pharmacies but gradually stabilized to form a price range. A pharmacist in Seoul said, “There is a lot of talk in the pharmacist community about how much to charge. Hospitals are also sharing their selling price. We had to set the price, but it became difficult when the supply price was released in advance in the media. Large pharmacies or hard-to-reach areas may sell Wegovy at that level.” As hospitals showed much interest in the drug, receiving preorders for Wegovy before the launch, they are expected to market the drug in earnest after its supply. While there are expectations that the Saxenda craze may shift to Wegovy, its relatively high cost is also expected to raise some price resistance. It is expected that many people will call hospitals and pharmacies to check the selling price. Pharmacist B in Seoul said, “The price difference is inevitable because it is non-reimbursed and everyone is watching each other closely. I think it will take some time for the price to stabilize. Also, since consumers are aware of the supply price, many people will call hospitals and pharmacies to check their price.”
