Medicine prices to remain stable this year, says Dzulkefly

 The health minister says this follows the manufacturers’ decision to absorb higher production costs caused by rising fuel prices.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said that if there is any increase in medicine prices, it will only be around 1-2%.

PETALING JAYA:

Medicine prices will remain relatively stable this year after manufacturers decided to absorb higher production and logistics costs caused by rising fuel prices, says health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

“(This is) thanks to the pharmaceutical companies and Malaysian Organisation of Pharmaceutical Industries that produce generic drugs. So far, they have absorbed the increase in logistics costs due to the rise in diesel prices.

“If there is any increase, it will only be around 1-2%,” Bernama reported him as saying after the inauguration of Seri Iskandar Hospital by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah in Perak.

Dzulkefly said the government has also signed a memorandum of understanding with industry players to obtain raw materials such as petrochemical products, resins, polymers and other items used in medical devices, as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients, to diversify supply sources.

Commenting on the four suspected cases of leptospirosis at Taman Eko Rimba Ulu Bendul in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, he said one patient who was admitted to hospital was discharged at 11am today.

Yesterday, the Negeri Sembilan health department reported four suspected cases of leptospirosis, three of whom received outpatient treatment while one was admitted to hospital. - FMT