Announced: Ceiling prices for private sale Sinovac, Sinopharm

 

After previously promising to do so, the government has set a ceiling price for the sale of two brands of Covid-19 vaccines - Sinovac and Sinopharm - in the private market.

In a joint statement today, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi announced the following:

1. The maximum wholesale price for Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine is RM62 per dose. Its maximum retail price is RM77 per dose.
2. The maximum wholesale price for Sinopharm’s COVILO vaccine is RM49 per dose. Its maximum retail price is RM61 per dose.
3. These ceiling prices come into effect from Saturday (Jan 15) onwards and will be enforced by the Health Ministry’s Pharmacy Enforcement Division.

Both ministers said these prices exclude possible additional charges imposed by administrators.

“These maximum retail prices do not include service charge and charges for any disposable items used during the vaccine administration process.

“These ceiling prices were determined based on their import price and the current market rate,” they said.

The government offers Covid-19 vaccinations for free to those who register for them on the MySejahtera application.

Price must be displayed

Khairy and Alexander explained that price ceilings were needed to address the current “high and varied” prices of Covid-19 vaccines in the private market.

They cautioned that administrators must now be upfront about vaccine prices.

“Every private healthcare facility that the government has allowed to offer private-purchase vaccinations must display the sale price of their Covid-19 vaccines to the public and be more transparent about the prices of vaccines,” they said.

They further warned that those who violated these rules will be penalised under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.

Individuals who sell vaccines above the stipulated maximum price can be fined up to RM100,000, jailed not more than three years or both or be compounded up to RM50,000, they said.

Companies or corporations that sell vaccines above the stipulated maximum price can also be fined up to RM500,000 or compounded up to RM250,000.

Public complaints regarding ceiling price violations can be made via the Health Ministry’s public complaints management system (Sispaa) website. - Mkini