PUTRAJAYA, May 2 — The Health Ministry (MOH) does not intend to penalise private healthcare facilities that do not display medicine prices during the three-month grace period.
MOH deputy director-general (pharmaceutical services) Dr Azuana Ramli said the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Labelling for Medicines) Order 2025, which came into force yesterday, will initially focus on educational aspects to ensure stakeholders understand the new requirements.
“During these three months, there are no plans to issue any summons. This phase is focused on advocacy and monitoring how the implementation is being carried out,” she said at a briefing session on the Medicine Price Display initiative here today.
Also present was Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) enforcement director-general Datuk Azman Adam.
Under the order, all private healthcare facilities and community pharmacies must display clear price labels for medicines, either on shelves, in catalogues or in written price lists.
Azuana said that during these three months, monitoring would be led by the MOH’s pharmaceutical services division, supported by KPDN enforcement officers.
Asked whether the initiative constitutes price control, she clarified that it aims to enhance price transparency under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, and not about controlling medicine prices.
Meanwhile, Azman refuted claims by a private doctors’ group that KPDN officers issued three-day warning notices to clinics yesterday.
He explained that the enforcement team was in the area for inspections related to cooking gas and egg supplies, and happened to ask a clinic staff member about the implementation of the price display rule.
“No notices or summonses were issued,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of price manipulation in response to the regulation, Azman expressed confidence in the industry’s maturity.
The medicine price display initiative aims to enhance price transparency, protect consumer and patient rights, improve the quality of healthcare services, promote healthy industry competition, and support informed decision-making by consumers.
— Bernama
