PETALING JAYA: A former health minister has urged the government to boost the manpower in the health ministry’s pharmacy enforcement division after a shop in Johor was found selling prescription-only medicine without requiring the authorisation of a medical practitioner.
Former health minister Dr S Subramaniam said the laws governing pharmaceuticals in Malaysia were strong, but that enforcement was lacking due to insufficient manpower to effectively oversee the operations of pharmacies nationwide.
“I don’t think the pharmaceutical division has that much manpower, so their capacity to enforce (the law) is limited.
“One way to enhance the enforcement is to perhaps widen the scope of power of this enforcement to other (divisions) within the ministry,” he told FMT.
Last week, netizens were up in arms after one social media user found a grocery shop in Forest City, Johor, selling an antibiotic called azithromycin for RM15 without the need for a prescription from a medical practitioner.
Azithromycin is an antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections, including those affecting the respiratory system, skin, ears and eyes, and sexually transmitted diseases.
In response, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad urged his ministry’s pharmacy division to “take more aggressive measures promptly”.
Subramaniam said even with “clear” existing regulations for pharmaceuticals, non-compliance continued to be a concern, citing “parallel imports” as yet another example.
“(Parallel imports is where) certain groups or bodies bring in a kind of medication from other countries which is not registered with the health ministry, and sell it illegally through agents to various groups here.
“This is an offence, and the health ministry and its enforcement division can take action,” he said.
Subramaniam said another issue of concern was the practice by certain pharmacists of dispensing prescription medicine, such as painkillers, to patients without insisting on a doctor’s prescription.
He said the public needed to be educated on the need to avoid self-medication or seeking treatment for themselves by purchasing medicine in pharmacies.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Pharmacists Society president Amhari Buang urged members of the public to immediately report to the ministry’s pharmacy enforcement division if they found prescription medicine being openly sold, saying its officers would be quick to take action.
“If you look at this particular item (azithromycin), you can’t even sell it online since it requires a prescription.
“Pharmacies are not allowed to dispense this medication without a prescription as it can pose risks for individuals with specific allergies,” he added.
Amhari also reminded the public that antibiotics must be used responsibly and with caution, as misuse could lead to antibiotic resistance, among other issues. - FMT
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