Medications and Prescriptions

MEDICATION is generally prescribed by a physician and dispensed by a pharmacist. This is a relatively new phenomenon in Korea in that less than 10 years ago you could obtain any medication directly over the counter in every pharmacy. However, this is no longer the case. In fact, most of the medication that is available off-the-shelf in many countries requires a prescription in Korea these days.

Pharmacists dispense pills and ointments that are already prepared and do not mix their own. They will, however, prepare little packets containing each dose of the combined medication prescribed by your physician so that you don’t have to try and remember what you’re supposed to take when. Because over-prescribing antibiotics is still quite common, some bacteria have become resistant to treatment.  Although sometimes under another brand/product name, all medications can be found in Korea. The pharmaceutical industry is quite advanced and many drug products are also imported.

Getting a prescription for the medication you currently take is quite easy. You have a number of options. You can (i) take a copy of your prescription to any doctor, (ii) bring a sample bottle/tube of your medication or (iii) give the doctor the name of your medication. He/she will charge you a fee (anywhere from W5,000 to W25,000 – expect higher fees in the international clinics) and write you a prescription. You can get as much as you can safely store on the one prescription in most cases. However, there are no repeat prescriptions here. Each time you want a refill on the medication, you will have to return to the doctor for a new prescription.  For certain types of drugs, the doctor has to conduct a physical examination and/or conduct tests on the patient, but for most it is not necessary.

Using your Korean medical insurance card (if you have one) will reduce the cost of most medications. If you are taking a prescription drug, it is very easy to keep up your supply here. If you bring a copy of your prescription, or the actual bottle/tube or even just the name of the medication to a doctor, he/she will write you up a prescription for about W25,000 (varies up and own but that’s the average). The name may be different but the content will be the same.

K4E Editor: Korea4Expats.com tries to ensure that the information we provide is accurate and complete, so should you notice any errors or omissions in the content above please contact us at info@korea4expats.com.