The information network would enable doctors to check the patient’s prescription history before offering them prescription drugs. (image: KobizMedia/ Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, June 5 (Korea Bizwire) — The government is taking steps to prevent the abuse of prescription drugs by enabling doctors to check if patients are attempting to obtain excessive quantities of the drugs.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on Thursday that it will launch a special-purpose information network to deter patients from “doctor shopping” to accumulate excessive quantities of prescription drugs.
The information network would enable doctors to check the patient’s prescription history before offering them prescription drugs.
In the past, it was impossible for doctors and dentists to find out if patients attempt to obtain excessive quantities of prescription drugs by visiting multiple healthcare practitioners.
Using the newly-launched information network, however, doctors can check and track the patient’s prescription history for up to one year.
The information network provides information on date and location, as well as what medicine was prescribed for the patients concerned.
When using the information network, doctors have to notify patients that their prescription history will be checked.
If doctors have worries about the possibility of drug abuse after checking the patient’s prescription history, they can avoid giving prescription drugs to the patients.
To use this service, doctors have to access the “big data usage service for prescription drugs” and register and certify their own identity.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
