KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — The order to display medicine prices in private clinics and hospitals, effective today, has been welcomed by consumers who view the move as a manifestation of the government's concern for the rights and welfare of the people in obtaining health services transparently.
Most of them see this initiative as giving them more power to make purchasing decisions based on clear price information, in line with the principle of consumer rights.
A civil servant in Kedah, 48-year-old Norsyaliza Rosli, hailed the move, saying it enables consumers to make price comparisons before buying the required medicines without hesitation or feeling cheated by unscrupulous parties trying to make a profit.
"When the government enforced this action, they can no longer manipulate the prices of medicine arbitrarily because they know that stern action will be taken against them. As consumers, we have the right to choose, so we should support this,” she told Bernama.
A government retiree from Pendang, Mohd Yasin Zamri, 67, said the move would help the less fortunate like him to make price comparisons before making purchases at the pharmacy.
"Sometimes, when buying medicines, prices differ on different days… it is as if they are manipulating the prices. This is not right because everyone has the right to know the actual price of the medicine purchased and, if there is a leak, we can report it to the authorities to take action,” said the diabetic and hypertension patient.
Yesterday, the Health Ministry and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry said the Medicine Price Labelling Initiative at private healthcare facilities and community pharmacies, effective today, was in line with the Madani government's commitment to implement price transparency via the Medicine Price Transparency Mechanism (MKHU).
The implementation of the initiative aims to empower consumers with informed choices by enabling them to know, compare, and select the best prices when planning their medication expenses.
A civil servant in Sarawak, Asrina Kartini Sulaiman, 47, concurred as she views implementing the MHKU as a form of empowerment of consumers’ rights to make choices, particularly for those with low incomes.
"For example, if the buyers have a low income, surely they have a budget and choose an affordable option. Medicines are getting more expensive, so when we display the prices, we can decide whether or not to buy them or continue to check the prices at other places,” she said.
Negeri Sembilan Consumers Association chairman Khairuddin Yunus said the initiative is seen as consumer-friendly. Consumers can choose to buy medicine at the clinic or ask for a doctor's prescription and purchase it from a pharmacy that offers a lower price than the private clinic.
"If you buy from the pharmacy, you will know the price of the medicines, but if you buy them from private clinics, you will not know the prices charged and, like it or not, you will just have to pay for them.
"This new mechanism is welcomed because consumers know the prices of the services provided,” he said.
Meanwhile, some pharmacists admitted that they had begun displaying medicine prices since early this year.
Taman Ara Jaya Azam Pharmacy resident pharmacist Siti Sarah Romli, whose premise is located in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, said the initiative had been implemented since February, by setting the list of medicines and selling prices into a tablet so that they can be easily accessed by customers.
"When we first heard about the implementation of the MKHU, we started compiling (the list of medicines and their prices). When it came into effect today, we were ready, although some details need to be corrected and added to the list to adhere to the government guidelines,” she said.
While Siti welcomes the government's initiative, she hopes that more specific discussions can be held with community pharmacies, particularly private pharmacies, so that a win-win situation can be achieved following the implementation of the mechanism.
— Bernama
