Maunzaro obesity drug hits 1.5 million prescriptions in 10 months, raising misuse concerns in South Korea

South Korea's GLP‑1 obesity drug Maunzaro was prescribed 1,502,161 times within ten months of its launch, according to health‑insurance data. Monthly prescriptions rose from 1,857 in August 2023 to 273,140 in May 2024, a 14.7‑fold increase. More than half of all prescriptions (52.9%) were for patients in their 20s and 30s, with the 30‑year‑old group accounting for the largest share. Use among teenagers also grew sharply, climbing from 82 prescriptions in the launch month to 2,594 in May, about a 1.5‑fold rise this year.

The rapid uptake has sparked concerns about non‑medical and cosmetic use of GLP‑1 drugs. Lawmaker Han Ji‑a of the People Power Party warned that government measures remain limited to warning labels, and urged a shift toward stricter prescription management using DUR data. The Ministry of Health is reviewing whether to classify Maunzaro and similar GLP‑1 agents such as Wegovy as "drugs with misuse risk," which would tighten prescribing and dispensing controls.