When Will Artificial Tears, Anti-Diarrheal, and Allergy Medicines Arrive?… Cold Remedies and Fever Reducers Have Dominated Convenience Store Shelves for 14 Years [Why&Next]

Stalled for 14 Years: Expansion of OTC Medicines at Convenience Stores

Government Plans to Adjust List to 20 Items in Second Half of Year

More Than Half of Convenience Store OTC Medicine Sales Occur at Night

Sales Range Remains More Limited Compared to Overseas Markets

As the government pushes to adjust the list of “essential over-the-counter (OTC) medicines” sold at convenience stores in the second half of this year, attention is focused on whether the range of OTC medicines available at the 53,000 convenience stores nationwide will be expanded. Although there have been continued calls to increase the number of OTC medicine items since sales at convenience stores were first allowed in 2012, no adjustments have been made for 14 years due to strong opposition from pharmacist organizations. This time as well, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association is leading a strong wave of opposition from the outset, raising questions as to whether the government, which holds the lead on this policy, will move forward with the plan.

According to coverage by The Asia Business Daily on July 7, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has not yet formed the “Essential OTC Medicines Designation Review Committee,” which is responsible for reviewing the list of OTC medicines sold at convenience stores. An official from the ministry said, “There is no separate research project (for expanding OTC medicine items at convenience stores),” and added, “No specific timeline has been set for the expansion of the list.”

Previously, Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong announced the ministry’s key policy initiatives for the second half of this year, stating plans to increase the number of essential OTC medicines sold at convenience stores from the current 11 to up to 20, and to relax the store designation criteria, such as the requirement for 24-hour operation.

Over-the-counter medicines sold at a convenience store in downtown Seoul. Yonhap News

14 Years Since Introduction of Essential OTC Medicines System... Expansion Stalled

The system for selling OTC medicines at convenience stores was introduced in November 2012 to reduce inconvenience for consumers who have difficulty accessing pharmacies on holidays or late at night. The Pharmaceutical Affairs Act stipulates that the Minister of Health and Welfare may designate up to 20 essential OTC medicines, taking into account their ingredients, side effects, dosage, formulation, public awareness, and ease of use.

At the time, 13 types of medicines were permitted for sale at convenience stores, including antipyretic analgesics, cold remedies, digestive aids, and pain relief patches. However, with the discontinuation of “Tylenol 160mg” and “Children’s Tylenol 80mg,” both antipyretic analgesics, only 11 types are currently available.

This is not the first time the expansion of OTC medicines at convenience stores has been discussed. Beginning in June 2016, the Ministry of Health and Welfare commissioned a research project led by Professor Choi Sangeun of Korea University’s College of Pharmacy to evaluate the implementation of the OTC medicine system. Following this, a review committee made up of 10 experts was formed to pursue the expansion of the list. The research team at the time proposed increasing the number of antipyretic analgesics and cold remedies, and newly adding burn ointment, artificial tears, anti-diarrheal medicines, and allergy medications to the list.

The review committee held six meetings over the next two years to consider adding anti-diarrheal medicines and antacids, which relieve diarrhea symptoms and inhibit stomach acid secretion, respectively. However, due to strong opposition from the pharmacists’ association, no conclusion was reached.

Calls to expand the list of OTC medicines continued thereafter. A survey conducted last year by the Consumer Public Interest Network, a consumer group, found that 9 out of 10 respondents agreed with expanding the range of essential OTC medicines at convenience stores. In particular, there was strong demand for new items, such as medicines specifically for children.

Convenience Store OTC Medicine Sales Concentrated at Night... 300,000 Permitted in the U.S.

The current adjustment of the list aims to update discontinued items in line with current realities and to enhance the effectiveness of the system. Sales data from convenience stores show that essential OTC medicines play a key role in bridging gaps in medical access during late-night hours and holidays.

According to CU, a convenience store chain operated by BGF Retail, 50.5% of its essential OTC medicine sales from January to May this year occurred between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. By day of the week, the share was highest on Sundays (23.2%) and Saturdays (21.3%), when most pharmacies are closed. At GS25, another convenience store chain, 57.2% of essential OTC medicine sales last year took place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., with over half of sales occurring during late-night hours.

Industry and public health officials consider anti-diarrheal medicines, antacids (for heartburn), and allergy medications for allergic rhinitis as leading candidates for inclusion in the updated list. In particular, as the number of cases involving acute enteritis or gastrointestinal disorders increases due to a rise in late-night food delivery and changing eating habits, both anti-diarrheal medicines and antacids—which have been discussed in the past—are now seen as top priorities for review.

The convenience store industry expects that expanding the list of OTC medicines will also help strengthen store competitiveness. A franchisee of one convenience store said, “Given the high proportion of late-night business, diversifying the selection of OTC medicines will improve not only customer satisfaction but also the efficiency of store use.”

The Pharmacists’ Association Still Opposes, Citing “Risk of Medicine Misuse”

On the other hand, the pharmacy community maintains its opposition, arguing that expanding the list could lead to medicine misuse. The Korean Pharmaceutical Association stated, “OTC medicines sold at convenience stores do not account for a large share of the general medicine market,” and emphasized, “Safety must take precedence over convenience for medicines.” The association cites research showing an increased risk of acetaminophen toxicity following the introduction of convenience store sales, and argues that expanding support for public late-night pharmacies, which was codified in law in January last year, would be a more appropriate alternative.

However, compared to major countries overseas, the range of essential OTC medicines sold in Korea is relatively limited. According to the Korea Institute of Public Administration, around 300,000 OTC medicines are available at general retail outlets such as drugstores and discount stores in the United States, 1,500 in the United Kingdom, and 930 in Japan. However, each country applies different standards for permitted ingredients, packaging units, and medication guidance, managing both accessibility and safety.

An industry insider commented, “As the function of 24-hour convenience stores expands from food and daily necessities to lifestyle services, now is the time to reconsider the essential OTC medicines system in line with changing consumer environments.” The source added, “Rather than simply debating regulatory relaxation, discussion should move toward segmenting items by risk level and refining management standards.”

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