Private healthcare players urge govt to reconsider new regulation
PETALING JAYA: Supplements, along with controlled drugs, over-the-counter (OTC) medication and traditional medicines, are required to be on the price list display by private hospitals and clinics once the Medicine Price Transparency Mechanism begins.
The price display, which the Health Ministry has scheduled for Thursday, will also include extemporaneous drugs, which refers to medication specially prepared by pharmacists when an appropriate drug is not readily available yet.
“All medicine displayed for sale must come with a price list in ringgit that shows the price per unit, price per packet or the price per dosage.
“The price must be displayed in a readable font size and colour,” said the Health Ministry’s Pharmacy Division in a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) released recently to healthcare practitioners.
It is also stipulated that the price display must be in Bahasa Malaysia or English, and the uses of a drug cannot be mentioned or indicated although images of the medicine are permitted.
This new regulation applies to private healthcare facilities including hospitals, hospices, psychiatric hospitals, clinics, mental health centres, dental clinics, haemodialysis centres, ambulatory centres, maternity centres, nursing homes and community pharmacies.
But with three days left before the price display mechanism is expected to kick in, there is much doubt among private healthcare players on the implementation.
Malaysian Chinese Medical Association president Heng Aik Teng said the group had not been informed of any requirement for a price list for traditional medicines.
“The situation regarding this matter is rather complex and requires further verification from the ministry,” he said.
Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia president Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson said many general practitioners are anxious about the order taking effect on May 1.
“We all have our prices to enable our clinic staff to generate the charges. This is a bundled charge to cover other expenses. The display itself is a rudimentary requirement,” he said.
Bundled charges refers to the total cost after factoring in professional fees, medicines, consumables and procedures.
“With so many associations voicing their displeasure, it is important that the Cabinet take note. Of course they can force it on the clinics, but this may backfire,” he added.
Shanmuganathan said the government should scrap the plan and instead work towards revising consultation fees for GPs.
Rachel Gan, honorary secretary of the Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild, said the move would increase administrative work for them.
She said pharmacies had already been displaying prices for OTC medication and supplements for a long time.
“But the problem is price increase and fluctuation. Updating this list daily could be an unnecessary additional workload for us,” she said, adding that pharmacists may spend more time on administrative work instead of focusing on patient care.
“I have been trying to prepare the list and it takes a lot of work. We need to write down the generic name of medicines and the price per unit of tablets,” she said.
Aside from that, reprinting catalogues if there is a price adjustment could be an added cost.
“If we use electronic devices and we use a tablet just to display prices, the cheapest one would cost RM300 per unit,” she said.
“So if you have several outlets, you can imagine the cost just to comply with this requirement.”
According to the FAQ, the price list must be displayed in a physical form such as catalogues, notice boards, laptops, desktop computers, kiosks or electronic screens.
The price list must be placed at a location that is easily accessible to patients, such as at the registration counter, hospital lobby or dispensary counters in pharmacies.
The FAQ said displaying the price list via QR code, online or using LED banners or digital scrolling messages are not considered as other options for a physical price list.
However, facilities are permitted to share the price list digitally via QR code or online through their website or official social media channels as an additional measure.
