Food and drug safety ministry expands propofol monitoring to curb abuse

The food and drug safety ministry said it will expand its mandatory medication history check system to include propofol starting Aug. 27, requiring physicians to review a patient's records from the past year before issuing a new prescription.

The move aims to prevent overprescription of the anesthetic by targeting patients who engage in "medical shopping" across multiple hospitals. The propofol rule will trigger pop-up alerts primarily for individuals who have received the drug beyond a certain frequency to minimize unnecessary privacy exposure and reduce inconvenience at medical sites.

This step continues a phased expansion plan that began with fentanyl patches in June 2024, followed by ADHD treatments and appetite suppressants in 2025, and zolpidem recommendations in June 2026. Following the fentanyl mandate, the number of patients receiving prescriptions dropped 35.7% over two years.

To ensure smooth adoption, the ministry and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management are providing technical support to prescription software developers, having already linked 198 of 202 relevant systems. They will also distribute guides via KakaoTalk and operate a dedicated counseling center at 1670-6721. Citizens can report suspected identity theft regarding their medication records through the "Medical Drug Safety Help e" website or mobile app.