Will the Number of Convenience Store First-Aid Medicines Expand to 20? Pharmacists Remain Opposed

Government Discusses Expanding List for the First Time in 14 Years
Pharmacists' Association Warns of Concerns Over Medicine Misuse

The government is moving to expand the list of "convenience store first-aid medicines" for sale at convenience stores for the first time in 14 years.

According to Yonhap News on June 21, the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to actively discuss increasing the list of over-the-counter first-aid medicines sold at convenience stores from the current 11 items to up to 20 in the second half of this year. In addition, they will consider expanding the number of sales locations, taking into account areas without pharmacies. However, the feasibility of this plan remains uncertain due to resistance from pharmacist associations, who have previously opposed the expansion of convenience store first-aid medicine items.

Unrelated to the article, a convenience store's first-aid medicine corner.

The convenience store first-aid medicine sales system was introduced in November 2012 to address the difficulty of purchasing medicines on public holidays or late at night when pharmacies are closed. The target products are over-the-counter medicines that can be used by patients themselves for mild symptoms. According to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, the Minister of Health and Welfare is to select up to 20 first-aid medicines for sale at convenience stores, considering factors such as ingredients, side effects, dosage, formulation, consumer awareness, and convenience.

Currently, 13 types of medicines are allowed for sale at convenience stores: five types of fever reducers and pain relievers including "Tylenol Tablets 500mg," four types of digestive aids such as "Bease Tablets" and "Festal Gold Tablets," two types of cold medicine such as "Pankol-A Oral Solution" and "Panpyrin-T Tablets," and two types of pain relief patches such as "Jeil Cool Patch" and "Shinshin Patch Arex." However, among the fever reducers and pain relievers, "Tylenol Tablets 160mg" and "Children's Tylenol Tablets 80mg" are no longer produced, so only 11 types of medicines are actually available for purchase.

There is strong demand for convenience store first-aid medicines. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management among 1,000 adults, 68.9% reported having purchased first-aid medicines from convenience stores in the past year. However, pharmacist groups, including the Korean Pharmaceutical Association, are strongly opposed to expanding the list of convenience store first-aid medicines.

In the past, the Designation Review Committee for First-Aid Medicines discussed adding anti-diarrheal medicines and antacids, which alleviate diarrhea and reduce stomach acid, to the list of convenience store first-aid medicines from 2017 to the following year. However, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association staged rallies and strongly objected, and the plan ultimately fell through.

A representative of the Korean Pharmaceutical Association told Yonhap News, "First-aid medicines sold at convenience stores account for only a very small portion of total over-the-counter medicine sales," adding, "All medicines have side effects, and medicines must always meet safety and efficacy requirements." The representative pointed out that the discussion on expanding convenience store first-aid medicines focuses more on convenience than on safety, which is problematic. They further expressed concern, stating, "There are studies showing that the risk of acetaminophen poisoning, which is found in Tylenol, has increased since medicines started being sold at convenience stores. If the number of medicines available at convenience stores increases, the problem of medicine misuse may not improve."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.