Education before enforcement

The Star

02-05-2025

Learning curve: Dr Azuana and Azman chairing a press conference on the drug price display initiative. — Low Boon Tat/The Star
Three-month grace period focuses on awareness, not penalties
PUTRAJAYA: Advocacy and education will form the essence of the three-month grace period for the enforcement of the medicine price display law.
Deputy director-general (Pharma­ceutical Services) Dr Azuana Ramli said there are no plans to issue compounds during the grace period.
'During the three-month phase of the educational enforcement, we will advocate and look at how this order is implemented. It is a learning phase for both sides.'
Dr Azuana stated that the introduction of the price list law is aimed to assist the public in ­making informed decisions by facilitating price comparisons.
The Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Drugs) order, which mandates private healthcare players to display medicine prices, came into effect on May 1.
However, certain private healthcare practitioners, particularly general practitioners, were not receptive to the move.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Medical Association will be organising a march from the Health Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya on May 6.
On the proposed protest march, MMA's Private Practitioners Section (PPS) chairman Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh Kuldip Singh said the symbolic walk is being organised for private GPs nationwide to voice their displeasure and frustration over the use of a non-medical Act on the profession.
The Act in question is the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act.
They are also seeking answers to questions regarding implementation of medicine price display and the unresolved issue of stagnant private GP consultation fees, which has been a longstanding issue since 1992.
'Everything will be done within the confines of the law and with the necessary approvals,' he said.
Under the order, individual healthcare providers who fail to comply with the provision will be subjected to a fine of up to RM50,000.
As for corporate bodies, they will be liable to a fine of up to RM100,000.
Enforcement would be jointly conducted by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and the Health Ministry.
Its enforcement director-­general Datuk Azman Adam said enforcement officers would guide private healthcare practitioners as they adapt to the new order during the grace period.
'We will conduct checks and enforcement responsibly at private hospitals and clinics to ensure they fulfil the requirements,' he said during a joint briefing by the two ministries yesterday.
Azman added that during this period, the government would gather feedback and revise the Frequently Asked Questions to address any shortcomings.
Refuting claims on social media, he said that no notices or compounds were issued on the first day of the law coming into effect.
He was responding to claims that healthcare practitioners were threatened with fines by enforcement officers for failing to comply with the new law.
Azman said enforcement ­activi­ties carried out on May 1 were not solely confined to medicine prices but also involved other items such as cooking oil and eggs.
'Coincidentally, our officers were in the area to carry out operations. They asked (healthcare practitioners) whether they were aware (of the new law).
'It was a routine check. There were no notices or compounds issued.'
Azman said the likelihood of price manipulation occurring is quite slim, adding that the healthcare sector is both mature and highly ethical.