Park Yong-jin, “Is it really appropriate to designate a drug with concerns over abuse for obesity?”

“Why are Viagra and Maunjaro subject to the same regulations? Close review of evidence and effectiveness.”

“Is the abuse label the best policy? We must first look at the causes of high prices and illegal distribution.”

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Seol Seung-eun = Vice Chairman Park Yong-jin of the Regulatory Rationalization Committee argued on the 11th, "We need to examine whether it is appropriate to view Viagra and Maunjaro in the same regulatory framework."

On this day, Vice Chairman Park posted a post on Facebook titled ‘Why do Viagra and Maunjaro receive the same regulations?’ and wrote, “The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is pursuing a plan to designate GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) obesity treatment drugs such as Wigobi and Maunjaro as ‘drugs of concern for misuse or abuse.’”

Vice Chairman Park said, “With the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s management of ‘harmful drugs’ already restricting customs imports even when imported personally from overseas, and controversy over their appropriateness continues, there is a need to consider whether it is necessary to designate them as drugs of concern for misuse or abuse.”

He then emphasized, "Of course, indiscriminate prescriptions and illegal distribution must be managed, but it is necessary to consider whether labeling it as 'abuse' first because there is a risk of misuse is the best policy."

He explained, "The world's perspective on obesity has already changed," and "WHO (World Health Organization) views obesity as a chronic and recurrent disease and recommended GLP-1 treatment as a means of treating obesity, and included it in the list of essential medicines for certain high-risk patient groups."

He pointed out, "However, our country is trying to add obesity treatments to the regulatory framework for drugs with concerns about misuse and abuse, which include erectile dysfunction drugs and steroids."

Vice Chairman Park noted, “Rather than collectively designating GLP-1 obesity treatment drugs as a category of concern for misuse, major countries are focusing on cracking down on use beyond the scope of approval and illegal and counterfeit distribution while managing them within the medical system and prescribed by doctors.”

He said, "If it only leaves the fear and stigma that it is a dangerous drug and fails to reduce abuse, the regulations should be reconsidered. If overseas purchasing, illegal distribution, and even 'sharing' are happening due to high prices and low accessibility, we must first look at the cause."

He added, "The Regulatory Rationalization Committee will closely review the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's basis for designation, actual regulatory effects, overseas management cases, concerns of the medical community and patients, and management plans within the institutional system."