Leaving Without Even Seeing a Doctor.. Is My Pancreas Melting? A 'New Concept' Consultation

A pediatrics and adolescent clinic in Gyeonggi Province.

[(For what?) I'm here for a Mounjaro consultation.]

Instructions begin at the same time height and weight are measured.

[Person A/Hospital Staff: The wait is long, so if you don't really need a consultation with a doctor and just want to take it with you, you can do that.]

The refrigerator is packed with injections.

Despite the notice stating that "a doctor will administer the first injection," explanations follow that you don't actually have to do so.

[Person A/Hospital Staff: If you want, you can get the shot here and go, or just learn how and administer it yourself at home.]

It wasn't even a doctor who taught how to give the injection.

[Person B/Hospital Staff: Press firmly with your hand, and in a moment it will go 'click.' That means it's done. Read this and do it.]

Without ever meeting a doctor, four Mounjaro injections—a full month's supply, one box—are handed over.

Mounjaro, a prescription drug, can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and in severe cases, pancreatitis, meaning it must go through a doctor's examination and prescription.

From January to July this year, a total of approximately 7.22 million Mounjaro units were supplied to clinics nationwide, of which about 367,000 units went to pediatrics and adolescent clinics.

In South Korea, Mounjaro has only been approved for individuals aged 18 and older, as safety and efficacy have not been verified for those under 18.

While it is not the case that only those under 18 receive treatment at pediatrics and adolescent clinics, and minors under 18 can also receive treatment at internal medicine and other departments, this raises questions about whether safety measures for minors under 18 are properly functioning.

Mounjaro is only permitted to be administered at hospitals when a doctor gives the first injection for the purpose of teaching injection methods, but this rule is also not being followed.

[Seo Mi-hwa/National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee Member (Democratic Party of Korea): Bitter criticisms are continuing that it has devolved into a money-making scheme rather than treatment. Beyond periodically inspecting abnormal figures for a specific medical institution's single prescription volume or prescription period...] (Photo: Yonhap News)

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is pushing to designate Mounjaro as a drug of concern for misuse and abuse.

However, critics point out that more active measures are needed since it only amounts to putting advisory notices on the packaging.

Reported by Park Ha-jung | Produced by Lee Seyoung | Camera by Kim Yong-woo | Video by Jung Yong-hwa | Graphics by Seo Seung-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.