'Hospital hopping' for ADHD, diet, sleep medications a serious problem, data suggests

Home > National > Social Affairs

'Hospital hopping' for ADHD, diet, sleep medications a serious problem, data suggests

Published: 10 Oct. 2024, 16:04 Updated: 10 Oct. 2024, 19:11

Unrelated photo of a pharmacy [NEWS1]

Some patients are hopping across hospitals to receive prescriptions for medications, according to latest data obtained by a lawmaker, highlighting an emerging "narcotic shopping" issue.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to Democratic Party Rep. Jeon Jin-sook, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, on Thursday, the top 20 individuals who purchased the ADHD medication methylphenidate last year visited 52 medical institutions, receiving an average of 5,658 units per person.

This is about 22 times the average prescription amount of 260.5 units per patient for ADHD medication last year.

Narcotics are used in alleviating anxiety and managing pain. However, despite its potential for abuse and addiction, patients can often obtain the substances without significant restrictions if they visit multiple institutions to request prescriptions.

For zolpidem, a sleep sedative, the top 20 patients received an average of 5,315 pills per person, 60 times the average of 88.3 units. For appetite suppressants like phentermine, the top 20 patients received an average of around 4,950 units, 25 times the average of 198.4 units.

Among the top 60 individuals prescribed appetite suppressants, methylphenidate and zolpidem in 2023, 23 visited three or more medical institutions, and three visited more than ten institutions.

One patient was prescribed a total of 11,207 zolpidem units over 465 visits to 34 institutions, while another patient was prescribed 3,619 units over 139 visits to 32 institutions. Yet another patient was prescribed 8,658 units of ADHD medication over 54 visits to 13 institutions.

There is a need to establish a system for doctors prescribing narcotics to check patients' medication history, but the software currently available for real-time prescription tracking is limited to fentanyl.

“An analysis of the behavior of patients at risk of drug abuse revealed many of them visit multiple medical institutions to receive prescriptions,” said Rep. Jeon. “It is urgent to expand the system for real-time verification of narcotics prescription history.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]