{"id":187056,"date":"2025-12-12T01:38:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/187056\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T01:38:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:38:11","slug":"from-iv-drips-and-vaccines-to-narcotics-black-market-trading%c2%b7%c2%b7%c2%b7as-long-as-no-one-exposes-it-there-is-no-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/187056\/","title":{"rendered":"From IV drips and vaccines to narcotics, \u2018black-market trading\u2019\u00b7\u00b7\u00b7\u201cAs long as no one exposes it, there is no problem\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Broadcaster<\/p>\n

Broadcaster Park Na-rae. Sports Kyunghyang DB<\/p>\n

As allegations have surfaced that TV personality Park Na-rae (40) received IV drips and medication prescriptions from so-called \u2018injection aunties\u2019, attention is also turning to the realities of \u2018illegal medical practices\u2019. In fact, on online communities and secondhand trading platforms, it has been confirmed that various prescription-only injectables and vaccines, and even narcotic analgesics and psychotropic medicines, are being traded. There are calls for the authorities to urgently strengthen crackdowns and management systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are sensitive because of Park Na-rae, but it is fine as long as no one exposes it\u201d<\/p>\n

On the 11th, seller A, whom this reporter contacted through an online community for nurses and nursing assistants, introduced himself as \u201ca former pharmaceutical company employee and currently a clinic sales\/wholesale dealer.\u201d He said, \u201cWe are on edge because of the Park Na-rae (case) right now, but unless someone exposes it, you personally will have no problem.\u201d This indicates he is aware that such transactions are crimes.<\/p>\n

When asked about the price of the \u2018nutrition IV\u2019 that Park was said to have received, A immediately quoted prices: \u201c\u25cb\u25cb injection 600\u338e 10 vials 44,000 won, \u25cb\u25cb injection 370,000 won, domestic XXX 330,000 won.\u201d Another seller, B, who did not reveal identity, said, \u201cIf you buy a lot, I will include \u25cb\u25cb\u25cb\u25cb\u25cb powder and \u25cb\u25cb injections as a free service.\u201d All are prescription-only medicines that cannot be administered without a physician consultation and prescription.<\/p>\n

Vaccines were also easy to obtain. When asked about the sale of a specific vaccine, A said, \u201cOne prefilled (a single-use syringe containing the drug) 220,000 won,\u201d adding, \u201cBecause vaccines must be kept at 2~8 degrees, I put them in an ice pack and deliver them myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Narcotic-class medicines were also not hard to get. When asked B about purchasing opioid analgesics, anti-inflammatory painkillers, and the like, he immediately provided prices. The \u2018list of trade items\u2019 that A sent included numerous psychotropic drugs as well as local anesthetics.<\/p>\n

In nurse and nursing assistant communities, dozens of posts appear such as \u201cWhere can I get \u25cb\u25cb\u00b7XX injections?\u201d and \u201cDoes anyone know a place to buy \u25cb\u25cb\u25cb\u25cb\u00b7XXX?\u201d In the comments, \u2018salesy\u2019 replies like \u201cPlease send a private message\u201d follow. There were also posts mentioning the internal distribution structure, such as \u201cIf you work at a hospital, you can obtain them cheaply through pharmaceutical company reps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProcessed under the hospital name, goods go to individuals\u201d\u2026 \u2018Paper-only fake transactions\u2019 entangling hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and wholesalers<\/p>\n

Black-market trades in medicines appear to be widespread through a \u2018book-only delivery\u2019 structure entangling hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and wholesalers. A said, \u201cWe trade with 60~70 hospitals, but if they use many non-reimbursable items, their remaining tax base does not match,\u201d adding, \u201cWhen a hospital asks us to \u2018reduce the tax base a bit,\u2019 we adjust it by processing it as delivered only on the books.\u201d<\/p>\n

He explained, \u201cWe issue the goods under the hospital name, send the physical items to individuals, and record only receipt (stock-in) for the hospital.\u201d On the books it is processed as delivery to the hospital, but in reality nothing is delivered there and the goods go to individualsan \u2018invoice-only fake delivery for tax cleanup\u2019 that has become routine.<\/p>\n

Within this structure, some hospital staff such as nurses and nursing assistants act as \u2018injection aunties\u2019 and \u2018IV aunties\u2019, taking margins. Because the gap between drug cost and the price charged at hospitals is large, demand is considerable. B said, \u201cAn ampule of \u25cb\u25cb injection costs 4,400 won each, and normal saline is about 2,200 won per 100\u3396, so if you mix one ampule into saline and hook it up, the cost is under 10,000 won,\u201d adding, \u201cHospitals charge 30,000~50,000 won per session, so it is a profitable business.\u201d A also said, \u201cOne nurse who bought (injectables) from me went to the countryside for the holidays, administered them widely even to cousins, and earned 2 million won as pocket money.\u201d<\/p>\n

A said he personally trades with \u201cmore than 100\u201d people in the medical field, adding, \u201cEven nurses at university and general hospitals buy 600,000~700,000 won worth at a time.\u201d Such black-market deals \u201csurge before holidays,\u201d he said. A drug known as a weight-loss injection also \u201csells at least two a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The \u2018trade verification\u2019 message history that seller B sent on the 11th.<\/p>\n

On online communities, multiple indications of constant leakage of medicines from hospitals were also identified, such as posts stating, \u201c5DW (5% dextrose IV solution) and NS (normal saline) are just given if you say you are practicing IV (intravenous) at home,\u201d and \u201cYou can get flu vaccines at cost for each family member every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIV drips administered at golf gatherings\u201d, \u2018flu shots\u2019 also traded on secondhand platforms<\/p>\n

Some traders did more than simple distribution. A said he even connects nurses\/assistants for \u2018gig procedures\u2019 to directly administer injections and IV drips. He said, \u201cThere are many seniors in a golf group; once a week we call in a nurse or assistant to put in IV drips,\u201d adding, \u201cWe charge 20,000 won per person, about 15 people.\u201d He continued, \u201cYou know assistant pay is low,\u201d adding, \u201cAll they do is connect the IV, and we handle finding veins and removing needles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Illegal injection service deals were also detected on secondhand trading platforms. On the 5th of last month, as demand for flu vaccines jumped, a poster on the secondhand platform \u2018Danggeun Market\u2019 wrote, \u201cI have prepared trivalent flu vaccines,\u201d and \u201cIf you get it at a hospital it costs 30,000~40,000 won, but since I buy and administer it, just pay 15,000 won.\u201d Th post added, \u201cI put the vaccines in a cooler bag with ice packs and bring them safely, so do not worry.\u201d On the 7th of last month, ahead of the college entrance exam, a post also appeared stating, \u201cWe administer IV drips for test-takers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A post uploaded on the secondhand trading platform \u2018Danggeun Market\u2019 on the 5th of last month.<\/p>\n

Patients can also be accomplices\u00b7\u00b7\u00b7\u201cRegulations on the medicine management system must be strengthened\u201d<\/p>\n

Injection and procedure acts by non-medical personnel are crimes that violate Article 27 of the Medical Service Act (prohibition of unlicensed medical practice). Even for licensed medical personnel, performing procedures outside medical institutions is illegal.<\/p>\n

The government is also closely watching the controversy over unlicensed medical practice. Regarding Park Na-rae, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 8th, \u201cSince this case has already been reported to or recognized by investigative authorities, we will monitor the progress of the investigation and consider an administrative investigation if necessary.\u201d It added, \u201cWhile those who committed the violations are the primary targets of punishment, patients who, despite recognizing the Medical Service Act violation, actively request and participate can also be punished as accomplices.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jung Hyeong-seon, a professor in the Department of Health Administration at Yonsei University, said, \u201cThe inventory and prescription management system for medicines has effectively collapsed,\u201d adding, \u201cIt is necessary to strengthen regulation by mandating management of prescription programs and monitoring of drug inventories.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Broadcaster Park Na-rae. Sports Kyunghyang DB As allegations have surfaced that TV personality Park Na-rae (40) received IV…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":187057,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[101133,321,93,101132,61,60,101134],"class_list":["post-187056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-black-market-tradingas-long-as-no-one-exposes-it","tag-celebrities","tag-entertainment","tag-from-iv-drips-and-vaccines-to-narcotics","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-there-is-no-problem"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/187057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}