Discussions on Expanding Non-face-to-face Medicine Delivery... Turning into a Battle for Dominance in the 36 Trillion Won Pharmaceutical Distribution Market

As discussions regarding the expansion of medicine delivery services linked to non-face-to-face medical treatment begin, the government's position of improving medical accessibility is clashing sharply with the pharmaceutical community's position, which expresses concerns over platform dependency and safety. In particular, this discussion is expanding beyond a simple change in receiving methods into an industrial issue of who will hold the dominance in the massive pharmaceutical distribution market.

Discussions on Expanding Medicine Delivery and Conflict Among Stakeholders

The government has announced a policy to promote the expansion of non-face-to-face medicine delivery targets to increase patient medical accessibility and foster the digital healthcare industry. The core of the discussion is the plan to expand non-face-to-face medicine delivery, which is currently implemented limitedly for certain patients such as those on islands, in remote areas, or with disabilities, to all patients receiving non-face-to-face medical treatment. The government plans to expand the scope of the market by advancing a system that provides information prepared by pharmacies to platforms, even connecting to which pharmacy the prescribed medicine is located. However, they also stated that they would review measures to ensure safety, such as quality control of prepared medicines, medication guidance, and confirming whether patients actually receive them.

In response, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association is expressing opposition based on platform dependency and safety issues. According to the explanation in the video, the pharmaceutical community points out that "platform dependency" phenomena may occur, where platforms control suppliers by, for example, exposing specific pharmacies or medicines at the top. Additionally, safety issues such as quality control in the preparation process and the possibility of drug misuse and abuse are major points of contention. Opinions are also divided among civic groups. Patient groups favor the expansion, saying that the choice of receiving methods should be broadened, while health and medical organizations are raising voices of opposition due to reasons such as drug misuse and abuse, the burden on health insurance finances, and the concentration of medical data on platforms.

The 36 Trillion Won Pharmaceutical Distribution Market and the Influence of Obesity Treatments

Behind the discussions on non-face-to-face medicine delivery lies a massive flow of capital. As of 2025, the scale of the domestic pharmaceutical distribution market reaches approximately 36 trillion won, and the concentration is high enough that the top 10 companies account for 42.8% of the share. In particular, the growth of 'blockbuster' drugs such as obesity treatments is cited as a variable accelerating these changes in the distribution market. The obesity treatment market, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, is showing rapid expansion, growing 4.4 times compared to 2024, and is forming a very large scale as a non-reimbursable market.

The possibility of a shift in distribution power is also drawing attention. Large wholesalers that trade with about 80% of pharmacies nationwide have already proven their influence as marketing channels by increasing the sales volume of specific medicines based on their powerful distribution networks. Ultimately, the discussion on non-face-to-face medicine delivery goes beyond the issue of determining how to deliver medicine and takes on the character of an industrial power struggle over who will take the market leadership in the entire process from manufacturing to delivery to the patient.

Movements of Major Companies Following Industrial Changes

The possibility of changes in the medical system and the expansion of the non-face-to-face market is also linked to the movements of related companies. Following the growth of the obesity treatment market, Hanmi Pharmaceutical, which is preparing for the commercialization of its independently developed GLP-1 class obesity treatment, is drawing attention, and this company is highlighting its production capability through its Pyeongtaek bio plant as a competitive edge. Additionally, GC Wellbeing, which is in charge of the domestic distribution of Mounjaro, is also shown to be directly affected by market changes, as the sales effect of the drug is reflected in its performance.

However, as the discussion on expanding medicine delivery is in its early stages, the specific appearance of the market may change depending on the government's future policy direction and whether security measures are established. It is necessary to closely monitor the industrial changes occurring in the process of establishing a new medical system that combines non-face-to-face medical treatment and medicine delivery.