'Propofol' is included in drugs prohibited by doctors from 'self-prescribing'

Drugs prohibited from "self-prescribing" by medical personnel are expected to include "propofol," an injection used to induce general anesthesia.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has announced legislation to revise the Enforcement Regulations of the Drug Management Act, which prohibits medical personnel from prescribing and administering propofol anesthetics on their own.

To prevent doctors or dentists from "self-prescribing" addictive and dependent drugs, the "Drug Management Act" will take effect on February 7 next year, adding "propofol" to the prohibition.

From January to June, more than 4,800 doctors were confirmed to have "self-prescribed" drugs.