Medicines cheaper at pharmacies than clinics, patients report
Citing patients' feedback, he said those who buy their medicines at pharmacies often find them cheaper and more transparently priced than the bundled charges at clinics.
"Based on what patients have reported, the average price of medicines at community pharmacies is lower than at private clinics.
"Private clinics usually issue a lump sum charge after treatment, with no detailed breakdown. This makes it hard for patients to know how much they are paying for medicines specifically," he told Berita Harian.
Amrahi said the situation was even less clear when patients used medical or insurance cards, as claims were made directly to insurers.
"That's a difficult question to answer — what exactly is the cost involved in those claims?"
He explained that charges at private clinics typically include both the doctor's consultation fee and the cost of medicines, making it difficult to know the unit price of each item.
"In contrast, community pharmacies provide a detailed bill, showing the unit price of each product."
He added that prices of over-the-counter medicines are clearly displayed on shelves, while prices of controlled medicines can be provided on request, either electronically, in writing, or as a printout.
His comments come following the enforcement of mandatory price labelling for medicines, which took effect on May 1 under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Medicines) Order 2025, pursuant to the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723).
The ruling requires all private healthcare facilities and community pharmacies regulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 [Act 586] to display prices for all medicines for human use — including prescription and non-prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, traditional remedies, health supplements, and extemporaneous preparations.
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