Growth-hormone injection spending soars as South Korean parents ‘invest’ in kids’ height

In South Korea, height is increasingly seen not just as a physical trait, but as a lifelong asset – and parents are spending thousands of dollars on growth hormone injections to give their children even the slightest edge.

Originally designed for children with serious hormonal disorders or genetic conditions, these treatments are more widely used by kids growing normally.

Government health data shows a sharp rise in growth hormone prescriptions nationwide. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (Hira), the number of prescriptions almost doubled in just three years – from 138,537 in 2021 to 269,129 in 2024. The number of individual patients more than doubled from 16,711 to 34,881 over the same period.

But these figures only tell part of the story. HIRA’s data covers only treatments eligible for coverage under South Korea’s strict national health insurance rules, which apply to children who fall below the third percentile in height and have a diagnosed hormonal deficiency or specific medical conditions like Turner syndrome.

These cases make up just a small fraction of actual users. In reality, it is estimated that around 97 per cent of growth hormone prescriptions are paid for privately – suggesting the true demand is far higher.

Outside the health insurance coverage, the costs are steep. A month’s supply of growth hormone injections averages 700,000 Korean won (about S$639) and a full year of treatment can exceed 10 million won. The therapy typically involves nightly injections – up to seven days per week – usually continued for one to three years after initial hormone testing.

Despite the cost and burden, many South Korean parents view the treatment as an investment in their child’s future. In wealthier households, it has become part of what some refer to in jest as the “premium parenting package”, along with orthodontics and Ortho-K lenses – overnight contact lenses that reshape the cornea to reduce nearsightedness temporarily. These treatments are favoured by parents who are willing to spend on what they believe will benefit their children, even if it’s costly.

A look at the distribution of prescriptions reveals a growing market catering to these parents.

In 2020, 54.4 per cent of growth hormone prescriptions were issued by major university hospitals. By 2024, that number had fallen to 38.2 per cent, while prescriptions from small neighbourhood clinics nearly tripled – from 4.0 per cent to 11.3 per cent. Referred to as “growth clinics”, these small clinics, which often promote growth hormone therapy as part of a broader child development strategy, have surged in number in recent years.

Pharmaceutical sales data from global healthcare analytics firm IQVIA shows that South Korea’s market for growth hormone injectables nearly doubled in value, rising from 145.7 billion won in 2019 to 277.5 billion won in 2023. The firm estimates that the market crossed 300 billion won in 2024. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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