Illegal Online Sale of 'Baegok Injections' Leads to Prosecution of Pharmaceutical Sales Rep

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has caught and referred a pharmaceutical sales representative to the prosecution on charges of violating the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act for illegally selling prescription drugs, including glutathione injections commonly known as "Baegok Injections."

The Central Investigation Team for Food and Drug Safety Crimes launched an investigation after receiving intelligence that prescription drugs used for skin aesthetic procedures in hospitals were being sold illegally through online communities.

The investigation revealed that a pharmaceutical sales representative, identified as A, diverted and sold 2,293 units of about 100 types of prescription injection drugs requiring a doctor's prescription to 156 people between April of last year and April of this year.

Under the guise of supplying hospitals, A ordered quantities of pharmaceuticals exceeding actual requirements from wholesalers, delivered only a portion to hospitals, and sold the rest to buyers via courier service or direct transactions.

The scale of the illegal sales amounted to approximately 160 million won.

Buyers paid for the products in cash or via bank transfer, and investigations showed they purchased the items for purposes such as skin enhancement, stimulating effects, and fatigue recovery.

Among the illegally sold prescription drugs were products intended for the prevention of neurological disorders and the treatment of inner ear hearing loss, which were found to have been arbitrarily used for skin aesthetics contrary to their approved purposes.

The Central Investigation Team for Food and Drug Safety Crimes has applied to the prosecution for a pre-indictment attachment of 70 million won in criminal proceeds acquired by A, in accordance with relevant laws.

(Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.