Johor DAP's Dr Boo calls on Cabinet to seek AG's review on drug price order amid legal concerns
He claimed that the order, which requires private hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies to display drug prices, may be outside the jurisdiction of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN).
'The power to regulate medical services and medications, the existing relevant medical laws must be amended when necessary to empower the Health Ministry to do so, as they have the necessary expertise and jurisdiction.
'Protecting patients' rights is the responsibility of the medical fraternity, and the pharmaceutical industry has always had certain rules for drug prices and each pharmaceutical manufacturer will have a recommended selling price for each drug.
'Ultimately, patients will benefit from a more transparent system, but the powers and authority to regulate drug prices naturally falls within the scope of the Health Ministry's jurisdiction and authority,' said Dr Boo in a statement today.
He was responding to the announcement by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Amirzan Mohd Ali in May that his ministry has formulated and gazetted the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Making for Drugs) Order 2025 in accordance with Section 10 of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, requiring private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies to display drug prices.
Dr Boo, who is also a medical practitioner, called on the Cabinet to improve the coordination between various ministers and governmental departments.
'No cabinet minister should interpret the laws unilaterally, but must submit the relevant laws to the Attorney General's Office for further review to avoid mishaps,' he said.
On May 1, the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) alleged that KPDN enforcement officers visited clinics and threatened to issue summonses for failing to display medicine prices.
The mandatory drug price display ruling came into force on May 1.
However, the Health Ministry later announced that no summons or punitive action will be taken just yet, pending a three-month grace period to focus on public education and advocacy.
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