(123rf)
The Korean authorities is pushing to ban medical professionals from prescribing propofol for themselves to cut back the danger of misuse, officers mentioned Friday.
The Ministry of Meals and Drug Security mentioned it’s going to suggest an modification to the Enforcement Decree of the Narcotics Management Act to ban medical doctors and dentists from prescribing or administering propofol to themselves and obtain public opinion on the coverage till Dec. 10.
Propofol is a sedative used largely throughout beauty procedures or when individuals obtain an endoscopy throughout common medical checkups. It’s categorised as a psychotropic drug right here, that means use with out a correct prescription is a legal offense. It’s generally misused for its calming, enjoyable impact, however it may trigger hallucinations and even dying if taken in extreme doses.
The transfer comes after some medical doctors got here underneath fireplace for prescribing medical narcotics underneath the names of deceased sufferers, prescribing an extreme quantity of narcotics for a single affected person or prescribing the drug for their very own use, elevating issues that they have been abusing their place to misuse it or permit others to.
Police information confirmed that some 216 medical doctors have been caught not following authorized tips in prescribing managed substances within the first eight months of final yr. The determine was 186 in 2022, 212 in 2021 and 186 in 2020, respectively.
Amid the rising illicit distribution of medical narcotics, the KDCA mentioned that the brand new scheme will take impact on Feb. 7 subsequent yr. Well being care authorities added that they’re contemplating increasing the measures to different substances to handle misuse of managed medicines.
