SEREMBAN: The public should exercise caution whenever they buy medicines to ensure these are registered with the authorities, says Negri Sembilan health director Datuk Dr Harlina Abdul Rashid.
Her advice came following the seizure of 17 psychotropic products from a private clinic here.
Dr Harlina said preliminary investigations showed the products were smuggled into the country and meant to be sold to drug addicts.
She said the public should be wary of this as it could not be established if the drugs were safe to be consumed.
"Premises registered with the Health Ministry are only allowed to sell products registered with the Drug Control Authority.
"The public should ensure the medicines they buy have the hologram and product registration number," she said in a statement on Tuesday (June 14).
Dr Harlina said the products and other items seized from the clinic were worth almost RM65,000.
The case will be investigated under the Poison Act and Sale of Drugs Act.
She said the authorities seized 66,814 illegal products, worth some RM440,000, during various operations last year.
Dr Harlina said the public could verify if a particular drug was legal at www.npra.gov.my or by calling the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency at 03-7883 5400.
They can also do so by downloading the agency's product status application from Google Play Store.
