Ministry of Health has seized RM24m worth of unregistered products from 1,332 premises in raids since 2021 | Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 – The Pharmacy Enforcement Division of the Ministry of Health (MoH) raided 1,332 premises selling unregistered health products and seized items worth RM23,956,851 throughout 2021 until January 31 of this year.

According to a written response in today’s Dewan Rakyat, the ministry said the continued raids on premises or vendors were based on internal monitoring and verification of complaints received from the public.

“Companies or individuals who possess or sell unregistered health products will be investigated and prosecuted under the Sale of Medicines Act 1952,” the Department of Health said. in response to a question from Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (PAS-Dungun) who wanted to know if the ministry monitors the sale of drugs online as there are still many dangerous and unregistered products widely advertised.

The ministry also informed that the Pharmacy Enforcement Division has also strengthened monitoring and enforcement against online advertising and sale of unregistered drugs.

Since 2020, online platform companies have been instructed to block all unregistered pharmaceutical products and a total of 8,145 unregistered product advertisements have been ordered to be taken down on national e-commerce platforms throughout 2021 .

“The Drug Law Enforcement Division is also involved in international operations and activities focusing on websites and social media channels offering dangerous drugs such as Operation Pangea, Project Energia and the supply of the toolbox to combat illegal sales of medical products on the Internet.

“Similarly, cooperation with Interpol (international police) and other law enforcement agencies inside and outside the country is also organized regularly to ensure that drugs sold online cannot be introduced into Malaysia,” the ministry said. — Bernama

Maria J. Book