Self-prescription of opioids, sedative-hypnotics, and other psychotropic medications among physicians in South Korea

ObjectiveLittle is known about the actual practice of self-prescription among physicians, especially regarding potentially habit-forming drugs. This study was conducted to describe the self-prescription of opioids, sedative-hypnotics, and other psychotropic medications among physicians in South Korea.MethodsThe self-prescription data on physicians from 2020 to 2023 were obtained from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The prevalence of self-prescription and the average number of pills of self-prescribed potentially habit-forming drugs were presented in comparison with the prescription of these drugs among the general population.ResultsThe total number of practicing physicians in Korea ranged from 110,492 in 2020 to 118,951 in 2023. About seven percent of practicing physicians self-prescribed opioids, sedative-hypnotics, or other potentially habit-forming drugs, which was less than one fifth the proportion prescribed among the general population. Zolpidem was the most commonly self-prescribed medication, with other sedatives, anxiolytics, and appetite suppressants also being frequently self-prescribed. Although the prevalence of self-prescription among physicians was lower than the prevalence of similar prescriptions in the general population, the number of pills of these medications per physician who self-prescribed was higher than that prescribed in the general population.ConclusionsDespite a lower prevalence of self-prescribed opioids, sedative hypnotics, and other potentially habit-forming drugs compared to the prescription of these medications in the general population, a higher number of pills self-prescribed in physicians compared to that prescribed in the general population suggests that self-prescribing of potentially habit-forming drugs, at least for some physicians, may be a problem. If these results are confirmed, closer monitoring of the self-prescribing habits of physicians in South Korea may be needed.