"Even With Airfare and Hotel Costs, It's Cheaper": South Koreans Traveling to Japan for Mounjaro

Japanese Media: "South Korean SNS Users Share Hospital Information"

From Tokyo and Osaka to Regional Hospitals, Now Called 'Holy Sites'

As interest in obesity treatment grows, an increasing number of South Koreans are traveling to Japan to obtain prescriptions for Eli Lilly's diabetes medication, Mounjaro. Reports indicate that some South Koreans are specifically visiting certain clinics, resulting in what is being referred to locally as the "Mounjaro pilgrimage."

On September 12, Japanese media outlets, including Nagoya TV, reported that South Koreans have recently been visiting Japan one after another to receive Mounjaro prescriptions.

One of the main reasons why South Koreans travel all the way to Japan is the cost. A woman in her thirties residing in Seoul said she obtained a prescription for Mounjaro at a local hospital in Japan, explaining, "I visited because it is known as the cheapest hospital in all of Japan." She added that she saw other South Korean patients at the same hospital.

U.S. pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly's diabetes treatment 'Mounjaro'. Yonhap News Agency

This woman explained that the cost of purchasing a three-month supply of 5mg Mounjaro in Korea is enough to buy the same quantity in Japan, and that even after excluding airfare and hotel costs, it is more economical to purchase the medication in Japan. On South Korean online communities and social networking services (SNS), information about Japanese hospitals where Mounjaro can be obtained at relatively lower prices is being actively shared. In addition to Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka, some regional hospitals are now being called "holy sites" by visitors.

The growing demand for Mounjaro in Japan has also been affected by the country's distinct prescription structure. In Japan, although Mounjaro is approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, there are cases where it is prescribed off-label for weight loss at a physician's discretion. While this practice is not covered by public health insurance, the increasing availability of online consultations has further improved accessibility. Nihon Keizai Shimbun analyzed that this off-label market has grown to a considerable size.

The Japanese government is also closely monitoring the spread of what is called "diet use" of Mounjaro. Since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has strengthened its monitoring of inappropriate use of diabetes medications, including Mounjaro, and transactions between individuals. Authorities emphasize that while Mounjaro is approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes in Japan, its safety and efficacy for uses outside the approved indications have not been sufficiently established.

However, caution is required when bringing medication prescribed in Japan back to Korea. Even if the medication is obtained legally through medical consultation in Japan, its importation and use in Korea are subject to separate regulations. In fact, Nagoya TV reported that between January and May this year, South Korean customs authorities detected 289 cases of people bringing medications, including Mounjaro, into South Korea without following proper procedures.

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