Preprescription checks of propofol use history expand on June 27

Starting June 27, the system for checking patients’ medication histories for medical narcotics will expand to include propofol, an anesthetic. Because propofol is often given as a single dose, such as for sedated endoscopy, the system will display a check screen only for patients who have received the drug a certain number of times.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management said they will provide a service allowing physicians to review patients’ medication histories for the previous year before prescribing propofol. Checking the history when prescribing is recommended, not mandatory.

The measure is part of a phased expansion plan that began with mandatory medication-history checks for fentanyl tablets and patches in June 2024, followed by recommendations for ADHD medications (methylphenidate), appetite suppressants and zolpidem.

The number of patients prescribed fentanyl fell 35.7% over the two years after checks became mandatory. Since checks were recommended for ADHD medications, appetite suppressants and zolpidem, the number of physicians accessing the “Medical Shopping Prevention Information Network” has continued to increase following outreach to medical institutions and organizations.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety determined that displaying a check screen for every patient, including those receiving a single dose of propofol for sedated endoscopy during a health screening, could lead to unnecessary exposure of personal information and inconvenience in clinical settings. It therefore implemented a system that displays the screen primarily for patients who have received the drug a certain number of times.

The ministry provided technical support to prescription software developers and completed integration with 198 of the 202 prescription software programs used by physicians who had prescribed propofol in the previous year. It is distributing promotional posters and sending KakaoTalk notices to hospitals, clinics and physicians with a history of prescribing propofol, and is also operating a counseling center (☎1670-6721).

The public can receive information about their medical narcotic medication history through the website, app or National Secretary Gubbi. The ministry urged people to report suspected identity theft immediately, such as when a medication history appears for a drug they were not prescribed.