Pharmaceutical Industry Go Nuts When CVS Start Selling antiseptic drugs and antidiarrheals

Boryung Pharmaceutical, Gelfos, Daewoong Pharm, and other anti-inflammatory drugs, such as antiseptic drugs and antidiarrheals, can be sold at convenience stores as well. 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHLW) opened a safety committee for the designation of a safety medication on April 4, and discussed the inclusion of these two items in 13 generic medicines such as a cold medicine paralytic medicine parcel sold at convenience stores, but it was suspended without reaching consensus. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it would reopen the meeting later this month, but the discussion itself became uncertain as the pharmacy association refused to participate in the designated council. 

Initially, the pharmaceutical industry was expected to pass the package without fail. On the eve of the meeting, specific product names were mentioned and it was confirmed that they would actually add more items. 

Kang Bong-yoon, chairman of the Korea Pharmacy Association's policy committee, was reportedly unable to proceed with the debate, Fortunately, Kang confirmed that there was no injured. The pharmacy council has been opposed to saying that safe prescription medicines sold at convenience stores have been abused and threatening the safety of the public. Instead, they have insisted on the operation of late-night public pharmacies and the linkage between hospitals and pharmacies. 

Sales of safe prescription pharmaceuticals at convenience stores have grown at a CAGR of 22.7% over the past three years. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, sales of safe prescription drugs sold at convenience stores last year amounted to 28.48 billion won, up 19.1 percent from the previous year (about 23.91 billion won). Analgesia and anti-inflammatory drugs were the most sold with 20.9 billion won, followed by digestive drugs (4.1 billion won) and anti-inflammatory drugs (3.48 billion won).