Growth Hormone Shots Target 'Winter Break Rush' Despite Safety Concerns

"Height growth has its own timing, and I wonder if I've been too inattentive."

A friend of mine, a working mother raising a son entering second grade, called me the other night to vent. She said she couldn't sleep after attending a gathering with mothers of her son's classmates a few days ago, where she heard that "they started growth hormone injections as soon as winter break began." Although she knew there was a lot of interest around her, she had been putting off the decision because of the considerable cost and her unease about hormone injections. But seeing her son, who is a head shorter than his peers, seemed to have made her anxious. Judging by the fact that she had already made an appointment at a growth clinic famous among Gangnam mothers, it seemed she would soon join the injection treatment bandwagon.

Growth hormone injections are originally prescription drugs intended for patients with short stature due to growth hormone deficiency and other conditions. In Korea, children whose height falls below the third percentile among 100 children of the same sex and age may be eligible for health insurance coverage for growth hormone prescriptions. However, demand for growth hormone injections is surging even among those who are not strictly eligible for treatment. According to a survey on growth hormone injection usage published by the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA) in May last year, one in six children receiving growth hormone treatment was taller than average yet still receiving the treatment. Only 41% of hormone injection prescriptions were for children meeting insurance coverage criteria. This suggests that unnecessary growth hormone treatments are being widely administered amid parents' desire to add even 1 centimeter to their children's height.

Perhaps as a result, Korea's growth hormone market is enjoying unprecedented prosperity despite the low birth rate. According to data submitted to Rep. Seo Mi-hwa of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the supply of growth hormone products to clinic-level hospitals and pharmacies in Seoul increased approximately 2.9-fold in four years, from 390,430 units in 2020 to 1,130,275 units in 2024. Since these are non-covered prescriptions for children within normal range seeking to grow taller rather than treating urgent medical conditions, the cost burden is substantial. Without insurance coverage, growth hormone injection costs average approximately 600,000 to 800,000 won per month, approaching nearly 10 million won ($7,400) annually. This situation has led to jokes about growth hormones being one of the "three major parent back-breakers" along with dream lenses for vision correction during growth periods and orthodontic treatment. While new products requiring only weekly injections have been launched, existing domestic products with price competitiveness and stable supply remain highly preferred since the mechanism of action is identical even with daily injections.

The problem is that there is no evidence to guarantee the safety and efficacy of growth hormone treatment for children of normal height without any medical condition. While a child's height can be predicted based on genetic factors such as the average height of both parents, it doesn't always match. Instead, side effects from excess hormones can occur. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the number of reported adverse reactions related to growth hormone products surged 3.7-fold from 436 cases in 2019 to 1,626 cases in 2023. Among these, 113 cases resulted in serious neurological disorders including fainting, seizures, acromegaly, and scoliosis, as well as permanent disability or death.