Effect of injections favored by President unproven
By Kim Se-jeong
Anti-aging and fatigue-relieving injections are popular in Korea, as is easily seen at local clinics and their ads. Their popularity has been skyrocketing especially after it was alleged that President Park Geun-hye used such shots.
Their effects, however, are far from proven, according to medical experts.
Cheong Wa Dae said between 2013 and 2016, it purchased 890 pharmaceutical items worth 169 million won ($145,803), most of which were injections treating fatigue and aging.
The news triggered people to make inquiries about those shots, which are readily available at neighborhood clinics. Some clinics began advertising the injections as “beloved by the President.”
They are uninsured items, costing around 50,000 won per shot, and patients must pay the full price.
Doctors, however, cautiously warn against the effects of the shots.
Myung Seung-kwon from the National Cancer Center said, “Take for example glutathione, the main ingredient of one of the shots the President received. It was medically proven to have a whitening effect on the skin when applied directly to the skin or taken orally. But, I am not sure if glutathione in a shot still has the same effect. And for that reason, I would not recommend it.”
Another doctor, who wished not to be named, said, “People with chronic fatigue need a certain substance. Yes, that’s true. But that doesn’t mean it will completely relieve fatigue.”
Doctors are also worried that injecting a large amount of a certain ingredient into the body can be dangerous, damaging the liver or kidneys or causing nausea and vomiting. Some clinics also mix the shot with other ingredients, which could cause side effects.
Such injections are coming under government scrutiny.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it is currently studying the safety and effectiveness of the injections that President Park allegedly received often.
Earlier this year, the ministry commissioned a study to the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA), which is expected to release the results by the end of the year.
Speaking with journalists on Monday, a high-ranking health ministry official said based on the research findings, the government will make guidelines on the use of the shots.
“We aim to provide both the public and doctors with information about the safety and effects of the shots,” the official said. “The public is paying a lot of attention to the injections since the scandal. We’ll come up with the guidelines as soon as possible so they are not abused or misused.”
According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, local clinics gave injections worth a total 443 billion won between 2011 and 2014.