Not a “study drug”... ADHD medication misuse to face intensified scrutiny ahead of the CSAT

[Financial News] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) will step up efforts to curb the misuse and illegal sale of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).
The MFDS said on the 16th that, together with local governments, it will conduct intensive inspections of medical institutions visited by adolescents and others with high prescription volumes for methylphenidate, an ADHD medication, from the 19th through November 18. It will select institutions for inspection by analyzing prescription information accumulated in the Narcotics Information Management System.
The inspections will focus on possible misuse, including overprescribing; compliance with reporting requirements for handling controlled substances; and whether reported records match actual inventory levels. Cases suspected of involving handling for purposes other than work will be reviewed by external experts for medical validity. If the handling is not deemed medically justified, the agency plans to refer the case for investigation. It will also ask the relevant local governments to take administrative action in cases such as failure to report handling or late reporting.
The MFDS will also step up monitoring of illegal online sales. Ahead of the CSAT, it will closely monitor posts illegally selling or brokering ADHD medications that use phrases such as “study drug” and “concentration pills” to lure test-takers and their parents on social networking services (SNS) and online communities. It plans to ask the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) to block posts it identifies and to take measures, including referring those involved in illegal sales or brokering for investigation.
Through intensive and ongoing monitoring of illegal online sales and brokering posts, the MFDS had detected a total of 1,882 cases by the end of September this year.
Methylphenidate is a psychotropic medication used to treat ADHD. When used for purposes other than its approved therapeutic use, it can cause side effects such as insomnia, reduced appetite, headaches and an increased heart rate. Buying it online or elsewhere without a doctor's prescription, or taking medication prescribed for a family member or acquaintance who then passes it on, constitutes a violation of the Narcotics Control Act.
The MFDS said it will continue to analyze prescription and dispensing information to inspect medical narcotics at high risk of misuse, and to monitor illegal online sales and brokering.
[email protected] Jung Sang-hee Reporter