SEOUL — South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has issued a comprehensive legislative notice outlining tightened regulations for non-face-to-face medical treatments and remote pharmaceutical deliveries, set to take effect on the 24th of next month.

The forthcoming regulatory framework establishes stringent boundaries on prescription medications, delivery logistics, quality assurance, and promotional practices to safeguard public health as telehealth becomes legally institutionalized.

Prescription Bans on High-Risk and Weight-Loss Medications

Under the new guidelines, prescriptions issued through telemedicine will face strict categorical exclusions, most notably targeting specific weight-loss and emergency contraceptive treatments.

Obesity Medications: Seven specific active ingredients are barred from remote prescription, including orlistat, bupropion-naltrexone combination formulas, liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, and pegleglenatide (with the latter four restricted strictly to their obesity-treatment indications). Ephedra-based herbal and compounded formulations used for weight reduction and appetite suppression are also included, regardless of dosage form.
Emergency Contraceptives: Medications authorized specifically for emergency contraception are universally excluded from remote prescribing.
Initial Consultation Restrictions: For first-time remote consultations—defined as patients who have not visited the clinic in person for the same condition within the past six months—oral medications containing isotretinoin or tramadol (and its salts) are strictly prohibited. Clinics must rigorously verify patient medical histories through internal records, authorized health databases, or verified physical documentation.

Overhaul of Delivery Logistics and Quality Controls

To eliminate safety vulnerabilities in drug logistics outside traditional pharmacies, the regulation imposes rigorous operational mandates on delivery providers.

Direct and In-Person Delivery: Couriers are legally mandated to deliver pharmaceuticals directly to the patient or an authorized proxy. Remote or contactless dropping is prohibited except during officially declared national crisis alerts (such as severe infectious disease outbreaks), where immediate receipt verification and swift retrieval of uncollected medicines are compulsory.
Subcontracting and Logistics Bans: Delivery providers are strictly forbidden from re-subcontracting delivery tasks. Couriers must utilize dedicated temperature-controlled transport containers—sanitized regularly—and are barred from transporting medications alongside food or hazardous materials. Furthermore, drugs must be shielded from direct sunlight and extreme environmental conditions.
Mandatory Standardized Terms: Pharmacy-courier service contracts must incorporate clear protocols for handling delivery failures, return cost liabilities, consumer privacy handling, accident notification, and defective drug recalls.

Crackdown on Unfair Patient Solicitation

The regulatory framework takes aim at aggressive marketing and commercial incentives designed to steer patients toward specific platforms or pharmacies.

Prohibited practices include offering out-of-pocket discounts, reward points, arbitrary delivery fee scaling, or preferential delivery scheduling tied to platform or pharmacy choices. Incentives for online reviews, peer referrals, and advertisements discouraging in-person pharmacy visits have also been outlawed.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is accepting public comments from medical associations and logistics providers until the 20th before finalizing the institutional framework.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]