PETALING JAYA: Consumers are urged to avoid unregistered medical products, which may not work and could cause harmful side effects, especially those sold online, say health experts.
Public healthcare specialist Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said the use of unregistered medical products or the intake of such products can be dangerous, and sometimes result in adverse reactions and even patient mortality.
“In general, some of these products may not be of medicinal quality at all as they might not be medically tested for safety, toxicology and efficiency.
“Not only do the products not work or they might not work well, but could also pose adverse effects to consumers,” she said.
She was asked to comment on a report that the Health Ministry seized over one million unregistered medical devices worth RM1.67mil nationwide between 2023 and 2025.
According to the Health Ministry, from 2023 to 2025, a total of 4,035 raids involving health products were carried out following public complaints, intelligence gathering, and targeted monitoring at physical premises and online sales platforms.
“As a result, 43,122 unregistered health products were seized.
She warned that unregistered health products may contain heavy metals, contaminants, pathogens and chemicals that can cause organ damage.
“The public is highly encouraged to obtain medical products through licensed providers or verified pharmacists,” she said.
She also warned that if prices go up due to the Middle East conflict, consumers may turn to unregistered medical products for easier and less costly treatments.
“Consumers need to exercise caution, and providers should also be mindful not to set prices excessively high,” she said.
Malaysian Pharmacists Society president Amrahi Buang applauded the enforcement efforts of the Medical Device Authority (MDA) that resulted in the massive seizure.
In their recent meeting with MDA, the society raised concerns about the widespread sale of counterfeit and unregistered medical devices, such as blood pressure monitors, both online and in physical marketplaces, particularly on e-commerce platforms.
“Blood pressure monitors, as medical devices, require proper registration and regulatory oversight. Inaccurate or non-validated devices can lead to incorrect readings and inappropriate health decisions, posing serious patient safety risks,” he said.
The current market includes unregistered devices and suspected counterfeit products, especially online, where the seller’s identity, licensing status and product validity may be unclear, he said.
“Reports from pharmacists indicate that inaccurate home readings have led to poor blood pressure control, highlighting that this is not just a regulatory issue but a critical patient safety concern,” he said.
Public Health Medicine Specialist Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the Health Ministry is indeed making a tangible impact, though the battle is far from over.
“They are aggressively clearing the market of physical hazards while trying to get ahead of digital and emerging threats.
“Malaysia needs to move beyond raids toward a more integrated approach. While monitoring ads is good, we need to make e-commerce sites legally responsible.
“Mandate platforms to verify and display MDA registration numbers prominently on all listings,” he said.
