Lawmakers are calling for stronger regulatory measures as prescriptions of obesity treatments such as Wegovy and Mounjaro among minors continue to surge.

During a National Assembly audit on October 21, Rep. Byung-hoon So of the Democratic Party of Korea (Health and Welfare Committee) highlighted the issue, stating, “Following Wegovy, the injectable obesity drug market has expanded rapidly with Mounjaro, which surpassed Wegovy’s sales just one month after launch.”

He pointed out that these drugs are intended for adults based on body mass index (BMI) criteria but are increasingly being prescribed to minors—some even under ten years old. “The MFDS must strengthen its oversight,” he emphasized.

According to Rep. So, Mounjaro prescriptions for patients under 18 rose from 12 to 70 in a single month, marking a sixfold increase. In 2024 alone, Wegovy was prescribed to minors 2,604 times, including several cases involving children younger than ten.

“Because Wegovy and Mounjaro are not covered by national insurance, it is even harder to track prescriptions by age,” he warned. “The MFDS should intensify monitoring and management of obesity drug use among minors.”

In response, MFDS Commissioner Yu-kyung Oh stated, “We will work with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to establish a monitoring system for drugs at risk of misuse and develop measures to address the growing issue of prescriptions among minors.”