Malaysia’s Health Ministry is currently formulating a new legislation which will ban door-to-door direct sales of medicines. Consideration for the new law emerged out of the recent deaths of two siblings from the state of Johor after consuming illegally produced herbal tonics from direct door-to-door sales. The proposed law, to be called the New Pharmacy Act, will place greater government controls on the sale of traditional medicines and herbal supplements.
Dr. N. Arumugam from the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) welcomed the proposed new law and commented, “Regulating the sale of alternate, complementary and traditional medicine will be a great advantage, as this will make them accountable.” He added that along with the regulation of direct sales of these types of medicinal products, he hopes that the advertisement of alternative medicines would also be supervised and controlled.
Prior to the implementation and enforcement of the new law, the Health Ministry urges consumers to be wary of unregistered drug products. The public can check the registration status of drugs by visiting the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau website at www.bpfk.gov.my. Complaints against medicinal products can also be lodged by calling the division at 60-3-7968-2200.