Dispute growing over OTC drug sales
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Pharmacists oppose increasing the list of over-the-counter drugs at convenience stores, saying it would pose a risk to public health. / Korea Times file
By Kim Bo-eun
A controversy has been growing over sales of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs at convenience stores, as pharmacists intensify their opposition to the sales.
They say increasing the list of medicines available at 24-hour retail outlets would pose a risk to public health. A member of the pharmacist association disrupted a public hearing organized by the health ministry, Monday, when he attempted to stab himself in the stomach with a knife.
A committee comprised of medical experts, civic group members and a convenience store representative had planned on voting on a plan to add two new drugs _ an antacid and antidiarrheal _ to the existing list of OTC medications.
However, the meeting was adjourned after the representative of the Korean Pharmaceutical Association (KPA) pulled out the knife.
The plan to add new medicines to the existing list was based on public demand. Apart from demand for particular drugs, data also shows there is high demand for OTC medications during the hours pharmacies are closed.
According to a government-commissioned study conducted last year, 43 percent of OTC drug sales took place between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Sales on the weekend also took up 39 percent.
Currently, convenience stores offer 13 types of OTC medications including fever reducers, cold medicine, digestive aids and pain relief patches.
OTC drugs were introduced in 2012 to facilitate public access to medicine.
Pharmacists have protested this, as they lose sales to convenience stores.
They have been claiming sales of medicines at convenience stores puts the public at risk, as store employees have no medical expertise.
Lawmakers Jung Choun-sook and Kim Kwang-soo have sided with the pharmacists, proposing the introduction of pharmacies that are open at night. They cite data that shows the supply of OTC drugs increased around tenfold from 1.9 million in 2012 to 19.6 million in 2016, and side effects grew from 122 cases to 368.
The KPA has pledged to boycott further meetings.
“After OTC medicines were introduced, reports of side effects have more than tripled, and six deaths occurred in the past four years from the side effects of acetaminophen (a drug used to treat pain and fever),” it said in a statement.
“Part-timers who have not received any education on medicine are selling them.”
Civic groups denounced the KPA’s stance on the issue.
“It is difficult to accept the behavior of the KPA, which disrupted discussions by ignoring the policy decision-making process and taking extreme action because the plan goes against its interest,” the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice said.
“The sale of OTC drugs must be expanded in order to relieve the inconvenience the public faces and facilitate access on the weekend and at night.”
The Ministry of Health and Welfare is set to hold the next meeting within this month.