South Korea tightens GLP-1 obesity drug guidelines for teens, pregnant women

South Korean health authorities have strengthened guidelines for GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) obesity drugs — widely known as "weight-loss injections" — with a focus on vulnerable groups including adolescents and pregnant women.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management said Sunday they had distributed an updated safe-use guide to regional medical associations and local drug safety centers nationwide to support patients using GLP-1 obesity treatments.

The revised guide marks a significant departure from the previous adult-centered version, substantially expanding prescription and dosing criteria for groups requiring special caution, including adolescents and pregnant women.

Under the revised guidelines, semaglutide, liraglutide and certain other products may be prescribed to adolescents aged 12 to 17 only when they meet strict criteria: a body mass index of 30 kg/m² or above — equivalent to the adult obesity threshold — and a body weight exceeding 60 kg.

Because adolescents are still growing and developing, treatment must begin at the lowest available dose and be monitored carefully. Physicians are advised to watch for the effects of nutritional deficiency on growth, dehydration caused by vomiting or nausea, and the possible onset of acute pancreatitis.

For adults, the drugs may be prescribed to patients with severe obesity — a BMI of 30 kg/m² or above — or to overweight patients with a BMI between 27 and 30 kg/m² who have comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia or sleep apnea. Patients already taking diabetes medication must consult their doctor before combining treatments, as the risk of hypoglycemia may increase and dosage adjustments may be necessary.

Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant must stop treatment immediately. Because safety data on use during pregnancy are insufficient, women planning to conceive should allow at least one to two months after discontinuing the drug — accounting for the time it takes to clear the body — before attempting pregnancy.

The guide also addresses storage and adverse-event management. The drugs must be kept refrigerated and away from light; any medication that has frozen, developed particles or changed color must be discarded immediately. Beyond common side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort and injection-site pain, patients who suspect serious adverse reactions — including hypersensitivity or acute pancreatitis — should seek medical attention without delay.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stressed that GLP-1 treatments are prescription-only drugs that must be used strictly under a doctor's prescription and a pharmacist's guidance. It warned that purchasing the drugs through overseas direct purchases or online peer-to-peer transactions carries risks of product degradation and counterfeiting, and urged the public to avoid such channels entirely.

The move comes amid growing public interest in obesity drugs during the holiday period and mounting concerns about misuse. The updated guidelines are intended to prevent indiscriminate use for purely cosmetic purposes and to proactively protect vulnerable groups — including adolescents in their growth years and pregnant women — from potential side effects.