Streamline approval process to combat medicine shortage, govt urged

 

The Malaysian Health Coalition (MHC) has urged the government to streamline the approval process for medicines requiring special authorisation at the Health Ministry facilities.

To overcome medicine shortages, the MHC also called for the strengthening of local manufacturing capacity for medicines and the improvement of the collaboration between public and private sectors through medicine stock loans and medicine utilisation data-sharing.

“Alternate suppliers and special authorisation are necessary especially during shortages.”

“This essentially calls for the need to streamline the approval process for these regulations to improve efficiency and to reduce the waiting period for decisions which is incredibly important, especially during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,” it said in a statement today.

The MHC is an apolitical coalition of health professional societies, health professionals and citizens who are dedicated to improving the health of Malaysians, strengthening the country’s health system, and supporting health in all policies.

“The supplies of pharmaceutical products are impacted following supply chain disruptions such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War and lockdowns in China.

“Therefore, we must strengthen our local capacity of pharmaceutical goods manufacturing to minimise the impact from future disruptions.

“Collaboration between the public and private sectors should be promoted to improve healthcare delivery to patients. These collaborations need transparent data-sharing, especially on prices and medicines utilisation,” the group said.

MOH says no shortage

It should be noted that on June 3, the MOH released a statement refuting claims that there was a shortage in medicine.

“While there is a recent increase in demand for medicine containing paracetamol, and vitamin C, along with medicine for cough and cold, supplies are still available.

“Currently, there are no products facing complete supply disruptions as there are alternatives to many products under different brands but similar functions.

“(Manufacturers) are also increasing their capacity to meet demand,” Pharmaceutical Services senior director Norhaliza A Halim had said. - Mkini