Drug Safety Ministry finds over 900 false advertising violations – Korea JoongAng Daily

Regulatory Oversight on Health Products and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1. Executive Summary

A recent online inspection conducted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety from October 30 to November 14 revealed 904 cases of illegal sales and false advertising for medical and health-related products. These violations, which include drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics, pose a significant threat to public health and consumer rights. The regulatory actions taken in response underscore a commitment to upholding key tenets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to health, responsible consumption, and institutional integrity.

2. Key Findings of the Online Inspection

The inspection targeted products with increased demand during the winter season and identified widespread non-compliance across several categories.

• Total Violations Identified: 904
• Inspection Period: October 30 – November 14
• Scope: Online advertisements and sales of drugs, quasi-drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.

1. Drugs (342 violations): The majority of violations involved illegal online advertisements facilitating the sale of cold medicine, fever reducers, and nasal sprays. Such sales are prohibited in Korea to ensure patient safety.
2. Medical Devices (295 violations): This category was dominated by illegal overseas direct purchases of devices lacking Korean regulatory approval (249 cases) and misleading advertisements promoting consumer goods as having medical benefits (46 cases).
3. Cosmetics (153 violations): Violations primarily consisted of marketing products like cleansing oils with unsubstantiated medical claims, such as providing relief for nasal congestion.
4. Quasi-drugs (114 violations): These cases were characterized by false or exaggerated advertising, including promoting KF80 masks as offering KF94-level virus protection and marketing contact lens solutions as “artificial tears.”

3. Implications for Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

The identified violations directly contravene the objectives of SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

• Access to Safe Medicines: The illegal online sale of drugs circumvents regulatory safeguards, potentially exposing consumers to counterfeit or inappropriate medications, undermining Target 3.8 concerning access to safe, effective, and quality essential medicines.
• Public Health Risks: Misleading claims about the efficacy of masks, sanitizers, and other health products can create a false sense of security, leading to improper public health practices and potentially increasing the spread of respiratory illnesses.
• Informed Health Decisions: False advertising prevents consumers from making informed choices about their health, which is a fundamental component of achieving universal well-being.

4. Implications for Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The findings highlight significant challenges to achieving sustainable consumption patterns as outlined in SDG 12.

• Consumer Information and Protection: The prevalence of false and exaggerated advertising directly undermines Target 12.8, which seeks to ensure that people have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable lifestyles. Consumers were misled about product performance, preventing responsible purchasing decisions.
• Market Integrity: Illicit online sales and deceptive marketing practices distort the market, erode consumer trust, and disadvantage businesses that adhere to regulatory standards, thereby hindering the development of a responsible and sustainable marketplace.

5. Role of Strong Institutions and Partnerships (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

The government’s response to these violations demonstrates a commitment to building strong institutions and fostering collaboration, which are central to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Effective Governance (SDG 16): The Ministry’s proactive inspection and enforcement actions exemplify the role of an effective and accountable institution in upholding the rule of law and protecting public welfare from illicit activities.
• Public-Private Partnerships (SDG 17): By collaborating with major online platforms such as Naver, Coupang, and 11Street to block access to non-compliant posts, the Ministry is leveraging multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve regulatory objectives and safeguard consumers in the digital space.

6. Regulatory Actions and Outlook

In response to the findings, the Ministry has taken decisive action to mitigate public health risks and reinforce market integrity.

1. Access blocks for the 904 violating posts have been requested through partner online platforms.
2. Local administrative offices have been directed to conduct follow-up inspections on offending sellers, particularly repeat offenders.
3. These measures reaffirm a commitment to consumer protection and public health, aligning national regulatory efforts with global sustainable development objectives.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article’s core subject is the regulation of health-related products, including cold medicine, masks, sanitizers, and medical devices. The illegal sale and false advertising of these items pose a direct threat to public health. By cracking down on unapproved and misleadingly marketed products, the regulatory actions described aim to protect consumers from potential harm and ensure they use safe and effective products, which is central to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  This goal is addressed through the theme of consumer information and protection. The article highlights numerous instances of “false or exaggerated advertisements,” such as promoting KF80 masks as having KF94-level protection or marketing cosmetics as treatments for nasal congestion. These practices mislead consumers, preventing them from making informed and responsible purchasing decisions. The government’s intervention aims to curb this misinformation, thereby promoting more responsible consumption patterns where consumers have access to accurate information about the products they buy.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article showcases the role of a strong and effective government institution, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, in upholding the law and protecting citizens. The ministry’s proactive inspection, identification of 904 violations, and subsequent enforcement actions (requesting access blocks, ordering follow-up inspections) demonstrate the functioning of an accountable institution dedicated to enforcing regulations and ensuring public safety. This reflects the goal of building effective institutions that promote the rule of law.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.8: Access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines

   This target aims to ensure access to quality essential medicines. The article connects to this by focusing on the “safe, effective, quality” aspect. The illegal online sale of drugs, unapproved foreign medical devices, and products with false medical claims undermines this target. The regulatory crackdown is a direct effort to prevent the public from accessing unsafe and ineffective products, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the healthcare product market.

2. Target 12.8: Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development

   This target is directly relevant because the article details widespread misinformation campaigns. Sellers falsely advertised products to “mislead customers into thinking they offered medical benefits.” Examples include promoting contact lens solutions as “artificial tears” and sanitizers as “athlete’s foot treatments.” By identifying and stopping these false advertisements, the authorities are working to ensure consumers receive the “relevant information” needed to make safe and appropriate choices about their health products.

3. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

   The actions of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety are a clear illustration of this target. The article describes a systematic inspection (“carried out an online inspection of medical products from Oct. 30 to Nov. 14”), transparent reporting of the findings (“found 904 violations in total”), and clear accountability measures (“requested access blocks for the violating posts… and asked local administrative offices to conduct follow-up inspections”). This demonstrates an effective institution actively enforcing laws to protect the public interest.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Implied Indicator for Target 3.8: Number of violations related to the illegal sale and marketing of medicines and medical devices.

  The article provides specific data that can serve as an indicator of the scale of the problem and the effectiveness of regulatory oversight. It states that inspectors found “904 violations in total,” including “342 violations related to drugs,” “114 violations” for quasi-drugs, and “249 violations tied to illegal overseas direct purchases of medical devices.” Tracking this number over time would measure progress in ensuring the safety and quality of available health products.

• Implied Indicator for Target 12.8: Number of cases of false or exaggerated advertising detected.

  The article explicitly quantifies this issue, noting that false or exaggerated advertisements were the most frequent violation for quasi-drugs, appearing in “83 cases.” It also details specific misleading claims for cosmetics, such as “unclogs your nose.” The number and type of misleading advertisements identified by regulators serve as a direct measure of the prevalence of misinformation in the market, and a reduction in these cases would indicate progress toward a more informed consumer base.

• Implied Indicator for Target 16.6: Number of enforcement actions taken by regulatory institutions.

  The article implies this indicator by describing the specific actions taken by the ministry. It “requested access blocks for the violating posts” and initiated “follow-up inspections on repeat offenders.” The number of such enforcement actions taken in response to the 904 identified violations is a quantifiable measure of the institution’s effectiveness and accountability in upholding the law.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: koreajoongangdaily.joins.com