The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has ordered Dong-A ST to suspend the sale of 12 products and pay 21 million won fine ($18,880) for giving illegal rebates to physicians in return for drug promotions.

The ministry on Friday revealed the administrative punishment on the drugmaker, which allegedly offered economic benefits to hospital operators and physicians.

Because of illicit rebates provision from Aug. 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2012, Dong-A ST cannot sell five products for one month. They are Luivac Tab., Lastet-S Cap. 25mg (etoposide), Bleosin Inj. (bleomycin hydrochloride), Zovirax Ophthalmic Ointments, and Rescula Eye Drops (isopropyl unoprostone).

Also, due to the offer of bribes from July 2009 to March 2017, the ministry ordered the drugmaker to suspend the sale of seven drugs for three months. The suspended medicines are Lastet Inj., Zovirax Cream (acyclovir), Zovirax Intravenous Inj., Aldara Cream (imiquimod), Bleosin Inj. Vial (bleomycin hydrochloride), Teribone S.C. Inj. 56.5μg (teriparatide acetate), and Elasfol 100 Inj. (sivelestat sodium hydrate). 　

For offering improper benefits to physicians in return for promotions of Aldara Cream, Bleosin Inj., Teribone S.C. Inj. 56.5μg, and Elasfol 100 Inj., the company was fined 21.1 million won, equal to the three-month suspension of the sale of the four drugs.

Dong-A ST has provided illegal rebates for sales promotion of 142 products from June 2009 to February 2017.

According to the investigation results notified from the prosecutors, the Ministry of Health and Welfare pushed price cuts on the 142 items in 2017. The food and drug ministry’s administrative punishment was a follow-up measure.