The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has launched a focused inspection to prevent the misuse of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatments, which are mistakenly known as "study-boosting drugs," ahead of the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test. With 1,882 illegal sales and brokerage posts for ADHD treatments detected online through September this year, the ministry plans to inspect both excessive prescriptions by medical institutional investors and illegal online distribution.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 16th that it will conduct focused inspections from the 19th until the 18th of next month, in cooperation with local governments, at medical institutional investors visited by adolescents and others who have received high volumes of prescriptions for methylphenidate, an ADHD treatment. This inspection was arranged to prevent the misuse of ADHD treatments, which are mistakenly perceived as drugs that enhance learning ability or concentration, ahead of the CSAT scheduled to be held on the 19th of next month.
Methylphenidate is a psychotropic drug used for the treatment of ADHD. Although it is a treatment prescribed to patients with medical necessity, using it outside its approved indications can lead to side effects such as insomnia, decreased appetite, headaches, and increased heart rate.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to select medical institutional investors visited by adolescents and others who rank in the top tier for ADHD treatment prescription volumes as inspection targets by analyzing prescription data accumulated in the Integrated Narcotics Management System. Key inspection items include whether there is misuse of pharmaceuticals such as excessive prescriptions, compliance with reporting obligations for narcotics handling, and whether the reported quantities of pharmaceuticals match actual inventory levels.
If cases suspected of handling outside business purposes are discovered during the inspection, a review of medical validity will be requested from external experts. If the review finds that the prescription is not valid, an investigation will be requested. In cases where narcotics handling records are not reported or are reported past the deadline, administrative sanctions will be requested from the competent local government.
Monitoring of illegal online distribution will also be strengthened. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to intensively check for illegal sales and brokerage posts for ADHD treatments that lure examinees and parents with expressions such as "study-boosting drugs" or "concentration drugs" on social networking services (SNS) and online communities. If illegal posts are detected, an immediate blocking request will be made to the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, and investigations will be requested against those engaged in illegal sales and brokerage activities.
Previously, through focused online inspections conducted in May and August this year and continuous monitoring, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety identified 1,882 illegal sales and brokerage posts for ADHD treatments through September last month. In particular, purchasing ADHD treatments online without a doctor's prescription, or receiving and taking medications prescribed or purchased on one's behalf by family or acquaintances, all constitute violations of the Act on Control of Narcotics.
A Ministry of Food and Drug Safety official said, "Going forward, we plan to intensively monitor the illegal online distribution of ADHD treatments, where concerns of misuse increase during specific periods such as the CSAT, and to inspect for inappropriate use of medical narcotics by utilizing prescription data from the Integrated Narcotics Management System."
in THEBIO
