Medicines in Malaysian public hospitals are not second class

Photo: Filepic/The Star

MANY Malaysians worry about the safety of the medicines they receive in public hospitals. Many patients and their families continue to believe that prescribed medicines may harm the kidneys, weaken the body, or cause more side effects than traditional remedies. These fears often originate from family stories, cultural practices, and unverified claims on social media platforms. 

The consequence of these perceptions is significant: patients may skip doses, stop treatment halfway, or refuse to start treatment at all. The Malaysia Medication Adherence Assessment Tool (MyMAAT), developed in 2017 by local researchers, found that negative beliefs and lack of trust are among the strongest reasons why patients do not follow their prescribed treatments.