Government opens talks on broader telemedicine drug delivery

The SMEs ministry said that the government will begin discussions on expanding prescription-drug delivery to all telemedicine patients, citing a need to improve access to medicines as remote medical treatment moves toward formalization.

Talks will also cover whether telemedicine intermediaries should be restricted from operating wholesale drug businesses. Once an amendment to medical law takes effect on Dec. 24, drug delivery after a telemedicine consultation will be permitted only for certain patients. The government is drafting subordinate rules that would focus delivery on neighborhood pharmacies and bar pharmacies dedicated solely to telemedicine. Eligibility now extends to people living on islands or in remote areas, long-term care beneficiaries, registered people with disabilities, patients with confirmed infectious diseases and people with rare diseases. The talks will examine extending delivery beyond those groups and changes to pharmacy and medical laws.

The ministry said it will collect stakeholders' views through a consultative body on how patients receive medicines after telemedicine consultations. It also plans to upgrade systems providing pharmacy inventory information. The government will review quality control for dispensed drugs, confirmation that patients received them and medication counseling.

Telemedicine has operated as a pilot program since the COVID-19 period. Parliament created its legal foundation in December 2025 by passing an amendment, and the system is defined as a complement to in-person care centered on repeat patients and clinic-level medical institutions.

"It is significant that the amendment to formalize telemedicine passed the National Assembly after 15 years," Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong said. "We will support people in using telemedicine safely and conveniently even after the law takes effect."