Strict monitoring of breast implants and anti-ageing jabs

Star: PETALING JAYA: The Medical Device Act 2011 will help ensure the quality and safety of medical devices once it is enforced.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said products such as facial fillers and breast implants would be register­­-ed with the Medical Device Aut­hority.
“All companies dealing with medical devices will be licensed so that authorities can monitor the performance of medical devices in the market and take action once the Act is enforced.” he said.
Dr Hasan was responding to reports asking for tighter regulations of such cosmetic procedures like anti-ageing injections in Britain re­­cently.
This followed fears that harmful dermal fillers could be the next scandal in the cosmetic surgery industry following the breast implant scare in France.
“Under the Act, a ‘designated medical device’ would be regu­- lated to ensure its usage complied with certain requirements,” he said.
Dr Hasan added that anyone who used the device must possess a permit issued under the Act.
“This permit will only be issued to a person who has the necessary qualification and experience,” he said.
He added that once the Act was fully enforced, the marketing and usage of such devices would be regulated.
“For a medical device, the manufacturer must demonstrate evidence that the filler will not compromise the clinical condition or safety of users,” he said.
He stressed that although facial fillers were not regulated as medicines, the provisions under the Act would allow the ministry to put in place all the appropriate steps to address safety issues.

Making profit from organ donation a no-no

Star: SEREMBAN: Organ donors are not allowed to make a profit as promoting or commercialising transplants is strictly prohibited.
However, a reasonable reimbursement for the donation process is allowed.
Under the Health Ministry’s Unrelated Living Organ Donation: Policy and Procedures, a Malaysian organ donor is also entitled to free admission to a first class ward for the surgery. All hospital charges relating to the surgery will also be waived.
“Personnel in the public service who have donated their organs will be given unrecorded leave of up to 42 days to facilitate the surgery,” the ministry said.
Approval is needed from the ministry’s Unrelated Transplant Appro­val Committee for any procedure involving an unrelated living donor.
The committee, comprising bet­ween seven and 11 members, will evaluate and recommend if a transplant involving an unrelated living donor should be allowed.
The committee, including doctors, health personnel or anyone with knowledge about transplant ethics, will be appointed by the Health Ministry director-general for a period of three years.
“It shall be chaired by a doctor not actively involved in the field of transplantation, but who has sufficient knowledge about the matter,” it said.
An independent team, comprising at least a medical donor advocate, a psychiatrist and a medical social work officer, will also be appointed to evaluate prospective donors.

Too early to talk about 1Care, says ministry

Star: PETALING JAYA: Protests by a Facebook group called #taknak1care has prompted the Health Ministry to take on some of the group’s claims against the ministry’s proposed healthcare reforms under the 1Care for 1Malaysia system.
Health deputy director-general (Medical) Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, who joined the discussion on the group’s wall, said the plan was still at a conceptual stage.
“Nothing has been decided and the rakyat will be the first to know,” wrote Dr Noor Hisham in one of his first responses.
He added that speculation and assumptions were not going to help and people must give the new system a chance to be developed.
The Facebook group, citing ministry sources and some public documents, claimed the new healthcare system would be funded by the public through a compulsory contribution of 10% of their monthly income.
It had also claimed that the public would only be allowed to see their designated general practitioner a maximum of six times a year.
Dr Noor Hisham, in response to those claims, reiterated that it was premature to speculate and make an assumption on something the ministry had not studied in detail.
He, however, implied that the scheme might be, in part, funded by employees’ wages as he wrote “your salary goes to the scheme”.
Dr Noor Hisham also said the ministry had only started the first stage of transformation, which is the strengthening of existing healthcare services.
He noted that the Health Ministry would be assisted by the World Health Organisation and experts in healthcare reform when it proceeds to the second stage, which is to study various healthcare models.
According to an earlier article in The Star by Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman, the concept paper on 1Care for 1Malaysia had been presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and members of the Economic Council in August 2009.
Consequently, the Health Mi­­nistry had received the mandate to develop the 1Care blueprint.

Ministry warns of fake medical products sold at grocery stores and night markets

Star: PETALING JAYA: They say laughter is the best medicine but many traditional drugs available in grocery stores or night markets are no laughing matter.
Most of them are unregistered products such as counterfeit medicine, fake sex stimulants, food supplements and even cosmetics.
According to Health Ministry's director of pharmacy enforcement Mohd Hatta Ahmad, the Pharmaceutical Services Division confiscated 33,274 such items worth RM22.5mil during raids, inspections and entry point screenings last year.
There has been a steady increase - in 2010, the authorities confiscated 24,852 products valued at RM21.5mil, while in 2009, 19,764 items were seized valued at RM10.4mil.
“People could be ignorant, buying these products which are within easy reach and cheap. They look legitimate and impressive with their attractive packaging,” he said.
Hatta said many of the unregistered medicine were sold at night markets, grocery stores and roadside stalls.
Another means of distribution was direct selling and a substantial amount of the unregistered medicine was confiscated from the houses of the distributors, he said.
Hatta said these so-called traditional items were often used to treat simple ailments such as cough and cold, fever and aches.
“Some of the medicine claims to be effective for joint pains. When we studied them in our labs, we found that they contained steroids or anti-inflammatory ingredients,” he said.
Some of the products even contain heavy metals which can cause kidney damage.
He said some cosmetics might contain hazardous chemicals such as hydroquinone, mercury and tretinoin, which can cause skin damage.
The fake sex stimulants were food products and supplements laced with active ingredients like tadanafil, sildenafil and verdenafil, all of which were used to treat impotence.
Hatta said they were harmful to one's health if taken without proper consultation and could even cause loss of vision.
“These products are available because there is a demand for them. If there are no buyers, there will be no sellers,” he said.
Datuk Eisah A. Rahman, the ministry's senior director of pharmaceutical services, said any unregistered product was considered to be unsafe as its quality, safety and efficacy had not been evaluated.
“When we conduct pre-approval testing of medicine, about 10% of the medicines contain contaminants, what more these types of medicine which have not even been registered and tested?” she said.

Seek advice if you have had breast implants, women urged

Star: PETALING JAYA: Women who had undergone plastic surgery for breast implants and facial fillers have been told to consult their surgeons and seek advice following a health scare involving such procedures in Europe.
The French-made Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) implants which is currently embroiled in a scandal in Europe are not used for cosmetic surgery in Malaysia, but at the same time, there were no statistics for breast implants in the country.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said the ministry do not have statistics on Malaysian women who have had breast implants.
“It's hard to keep track of those who have had breast implants since most of them go abroad, like Thailand, to get it done as it is cheaper. Some may also go to unauthorised beauticians,” he said yesterday.
A safety notice had been posted in the division's website urging women to continue to routinely monitor their implants and to consult their surgeons if they had any concerns.
“Specialists or centres which made use of PIP implants are advised to contact the ministry's Medical Devices Control Division. The ministry will also inform the public on this issue from time to time,” he said.
In the notice, the division urged implant users to provide relevant information including the name of the healthcare centre, contact person, number and name of the suppliers.
Currently, no local authorised representative for the product had been identified based on the registered medical device establishment listing in Malaysia.
Dr Hasan said that presently, only two products were listed in their database, none of which were PIP.
“However, an assessment on safety and performance will be carried out once the Medical Device Act 2011 is enforced,” he said.
The scandal in Europe erupted after the now-defunct manufacturer in southern France shut down after it was found using substandard, industrial-grade silicone gel.

Guidelines for cosmetic surgery

Star: PETALING JAYA: Those who opt to go to unqualified medical practitioners for surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures at unregistered clinics are putting a lot at risk.
Plastic surgeons are concerned that many Malaysians still go to unqualified practitioners to have such a delicate procedure carried out.
Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Cheong Yu Wei said invasive procedures must be carried out by registered medical doctors in a proper environment to avoid unnecessary complications later.
“If the procedures are done in a registered hospital, they will be on record. If anything goes wrong, they can be held accountable and responsible for their actions,” he said in an interview.
Dr Cheong urged the Government to set guidelines to regulate the industry and help the public in selecting authorised clinics and hospitals for such procedures. Also, it is important to outline who were qualified to perform certain procedures.
“There are many who promise the sky but are you sure what they say is true? Customers do not know how or where to verify,” he said.
He advised the people to visit the Malaysian Association of Plastic, Aesthetic & Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons and the National Specialist Register websites to check if the names of the doctors were listed to ensure that the person conducting the procedures was qualified.
“Patients should be more vocal over their concerns and raise questions if they are apprehensive or doubtful of what they are about to undergo. Some may think it is rude or impolite to do so but it is your right to know these things.
“They should question the doctor's background, his qualifications and even his certificates. Also, ask for the brand and name of products to be used in any of the procedures and do your homework. Well-known brands will have their own websites filled with information including the contents of the products,” he said.
Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Lee Kim Siea was concerned about illegal injectors and injection material used for facial fillers.
“Fillers from well-known brands usually have a better safety profile. Paying a bit more for well-known brands is worth every sen. The doctor who administers it is equally important as you can still get complications if the injector is not qualified to do it,” he said.
He cautioned the public on the usage of silicone gel used as filler material as it cause severe deformities years down the line.

Cut down sugar intake, public urged

Star PETALING JAYA: Malaysians need to cut down on their sugar intake as it would not only be beneficial to their health, but also save on the Government's spending on subsidies.
Last year, the Government spent RM262.41mil in subsidies and it would be spending RM567mil this year due to the increased price of the commodity, the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumer-ism Ministry said.
“If we can reduce our intake of sugar, the money spent on this subsidy could be extended to subsidise other commodities,” said its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday.
It was announced on Friday that the Government had increased the sugar subsidy from 20 sen per kilo to 54 sen per kilo earlier this month to avoid having the rakyat pay more due to the increasing global price of the commodity.
Ismail was reported as saying that the price of sugar would remain at RM2.30 per kilo while current open market price for sugar is RM2.84 per kilo.
Malaysia is the eighth highest sugar consumer in the world and the fourth highest in Asia.
The Health Ministry recently revealed that Malaysians consume excess sugar, adding an average of seven teaspoons of sugar to their drinks daily.
This does not include the hidden sugar contained in other food and beverage consumed each day.
According to Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman, consumers should not add more than two teaspoons of sugar into their tea or coffee each day.
“Most of our food is sweet enough on its own, but it has become a habit among many Malaysians to add more sugar to it,” he said, adding that the practice contributed to obesity and high blood sugar.

Malaysia health official to probe sleepy surgeons

Monster and Critics Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian health officials will investigate claims by two alleged surgeons who told a local radio station they dozed off while performing surgeries, a report said Sunday.
Hasan Abdul Rahman, director general of health, said such doctors were liable to have their licenses suspended or removed from office by their hospitals.
'Such things will affect our image as we need competent doctors,' Hasan told the New Sunday Times newspaper. 'The patients' safety is our main concern.'
One of the two alleged doctors told a radio show Friday that he fell asleep while helping a surgeon perform an operation. A second caller said he dozed off while assisting an appendectomy.

Housemen no longer need to work 32 hours straight, guidelines say

The Star PETALING JAYA: Medical housemen will no longer work 16 hours continuously after their normal eight hours with the implementation of a flexible schedule.
Previously, all housemen were required to work continuously for 32 hours eight normal working hours followed by 16 hours overnight and another eight hours the next day.
A guideline on the implementation of the flexi-schedule was announced in a circular dated Jan 3. It states that hospital directors and department heads must ensure that the total average working hours was 60 hours per week for every posting, but not exceed 72 hours.
They have two options available to them. They are:
> A three-session system whereby the shifts would be from 7am to 6pm, 11am to 11pm and 10pm to 10am.
> The second option will be a two-session system whereby the shifts will be normal working hours of 7am till 5pm with extended hours until 12am, and 7am till 5pm and continuation of work again at 11pm till 1am the next day.
The two options will allow hospitals to implement a work schedule according to their needs and the number of housemen.
The guidelines call for hospital directors and head of departments to ensure that the flexi-schedule is arranged to give “protected time” for housemen to do Continuous Medical Education (CME) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD), whether in hospitals or at the department level.
“To ensure that housemen are able to perform hands-on procedures while under the supervision of a specialist or medical officer and that they receive the maximum exposure in training such as grand rounds, teaching rounds, CME, Operation Theatre time and day care services, the number of housemen on duty during the day must be more than those on night shifts,” according to the guidelines.
It also states that housemen will be paid a Flexible Working Allowance of RM600 a month but they will not be qualified for it if certain conditions applied such as during unpaid leave, half paid leave and rest days including weekly rest days and public holidays for more than 28 days in a row.
On Oct 7 last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the Government had introduced a flexible schedule.

MMA all set to heal itself

Star: PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) council has called for a special general meeting (SGM) to discuss its temporary deregistration and reinstatement.
The meeting, scheduled to be held on Feb 12, was to provide members with a clearer picture of its current status, MMA president Dr Mary Cardosa said.
The 52-year-old association was reinstated shortly after being deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on Nov 15.
“Because of the adverse publicity and uncertainty that our members have had over the last two months, the MMA council has decided to call an SGM on Feb 12 to explain the situation to our members,” she added.
In the latest edition of the association's newsletter, Berita MMA, Dr Cardosa said the Home Ministry had suspended the deregistration notice and given the MMA a warning to abide strictly by its Constitution and the Societies Act.
“The response from the Home Ministry to our appeal letter states that the decision of the ROS is tangguhkan or suspended', which means that the MMA can function normally again,” Dr Cardosa wrote.
“The warning' that was given to the MMA is that in the next six months, we have to follow our Constitution and the Societies Act strictly,” she added.
The MMA was also asked to hold its AGM in compliance with its constitution within the stipulated period.
Dr Cardosa also announced that the ROS had confirmed that the current council and executive committee would continue to function until the association's AGM and elections, scheduled to be held in May.
The MMA had received a show cause letter from the ROS in September, in which it was asked to explain alleged irregularities in the running of its last elections.
The ROS issued the MMA a deregistration notice shortly after the MMA submitted its explanation, and the association temporarily suspended its activities.

Malaysian youth not drinking enough water, say experts

Star: PETALING JAYA: Malaysian youngsters are not drinking enough water, and that does not bode well for their health.
A recent study by the Health Ministry showed that less than 35% of Form One, Two and Four students from 50 schools in the country drink the recommended six to eight glasses (1.5L to 2L) of plain water a day.
The recommendation was listed as one of the 14 key messages in the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines, which encouraged people to “drink plenty of water daily”.
Consultant dermatologist Datuk Dr Low Bin Tick said that although young people today were more conscious about water intake, they were still not drinking enough.
“We see them bringing their water bottles but we do not know whether they actually finish it,” said Dr Low, adding that adequate water intake contributed to skin health by making it easier for the skin to remove waste products through sweating.
National Heart Institute (IJN) chief dietitian Mary Easaw-John said it was easy to meet the recommended requirement of six to eight glasses of water a day.
“Just take a glass of plain water when you wake up, when you have your three meals and during tea time, and one more before you go to sleep. That's six glasses already,” she said.
The remaining two cups of water can be fruit and vegetable juices, milk and plain tea.
“Caffeinated drinks like coffee and soft drinks are fine but it is best to limit them as they may make you pass more urine,” said Easaw-John.
She noted that the easiest way to find out if you are drinking enough water is to pay attention to the colour of your urine.
“If it is colourless and light yellow, you are generally drinking sufficiently. But if it is yellow or dark yellow, you are not drinking enough,” she added.
While the recommendations are meant for the general population, there are special groups that require different amounts of water.
Those with kidney stones, for instance, should be careful with the amount of water they take as it may worsen their condition.
“I often see patients who overdo it, thinking that the extra water will flush out their stones,” said consultant urologist Prof Datuk Dr Tan Hui Meng.
He noted that while adequate water intake was needed to expel the stones, too much water would stretch the patients' urinary tracts and prevent its muscles from moving the stones along.
According to the guidelines, young children may need less water while lactating mothers may need more.

1Malaysia Clinic proof of govt’s concern — Dr Jerip

BorneoPost: KUCHING: The government’s concern on public health is apparent by the setting up of the 1Malaysia clinics although there is still room for improvement to make them well stocked.
Assistant Minister of Public Health Dr Jerip Susil said Malaysia was one of the most fortunate countries in the world because it had spent a large amount of money to support medical and health care services.
“Budgetary expenses are allocated to provide free medical and health care services and provide various subsidies on pharmaceutical products, hospitals and health clinics including the supply of manpower like doctors and nurses,” he said when met recently.
He, however, noted that overcrowding in government hospitals, especially in the urban areas, was a major concern.
He thus said that the 1Malaysia clinics couldn’t have come at a more opportune time “to deal with overcrowding and provide more facilities for the people.”
“Two reasons why 1Malaysia clinics are set up — one to provide more facilities in urban areas, and second, to allow the urban poor to have access to medical and health care services,” he said.
Dr Jerip said facilities available in 1Malaysia clinic were fairly advanced compared to that in many developing nations.
“All these are part and parcel of the government’s efforts to ensure that medical and health services are available to the people in urban areas who cannot afford to go to private clinics.
“Of course there are pros and cons of the 1Malaysia clinics. The good point is that everyone is entitled to make use of facilities which are quite good. On the other hand, the private doctors would not be too happy if everybody patronises the 1Malaysia clinics. There ought to be a balance.
“We realise that not only people from the lower income group visit the 1Malaysia clinics but others who are well off also go there because of the conveniences.
“These are the benefits and disadvantages of the 1Malaysia clinic but overall, it is a good facility,” said Dr Jerip who is also Bengoh assemblyman.

Colon cancer spreading

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal cancer) has overtaken cervical cancer as the second most common cancer among Malaysian women.
UKM Medical Centre (UKMMC) oncology department head Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Fuad Ismail said the cancer, which is the most common type among Malaysian men, had intensified with the women in the past few years.
“In 2003, the most common cancer in women was breast cancer, followed by cervical cancer and colorectal cancer,” said Dr Fuad after the launch of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia CME Partner Centre Colorectal Cancer Programme at UKMMC yesterday.
The pattern changed in 2007, when colorectal cancer was recorded as the second most common cancer among women.
“This may be due to the increase of the number of women diagnosed with colon cancer and the decrease of cervical cancer incidence among women,” said Dr Fuad, adding that more women were now educated on cervical cancer prevention and its screening methods.
He noted that of the estimated 40,000 cancer cases diagnosed every year, about 4,000 of them were colorectal cancer.
“Men and women are just as likely to get it,” said Dr Fuad, who also agreed that colorectal cancer used to be thought of being “a men’s disease”.
Dr Luqman Mazlan, a surgeon at the UKMMC, who was also present at the event, said surgeons at the medical centre operated on three to four colorectal cancer patients a week.
“We don’t routinely screen the general population for colorectal cancer unless a person has a very strong family history of it,” said Dr Luqman.
However, he said those who experienced changes in their bowel habits, unexplained weight loss and find blood in their faeces should check for the cancer.
It is not yet clear what causes colorectal cancer but medical website Mayoclinic.com offers the following advice to reduce the risk of developing the disease:
“Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, drink alcohol in moderation, stop smoking, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight”.

Consumers must learn to detect fake medicine, says Liow

Star: KUANTAN: The public has once again been reminded of the importance of differentiating between genuine and fake medicines.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said it was important to know whether the medicines were registered with the ministry.
“Those already registered will have the ministry’s sticker. It will be easier if we know where and what to look for so as to detect the genuine and fake medicines,’’ he told reporters after attending a Chinese New Year celebration hosted by the Federation of Kuantan Chinese Associations here yesterday.
The ministry has an existing awareness campaign to teach the public how to differentiate between genuine and fake medicines.
Liow added that consumers could always refer to the ministry or the nearest pharmacy to verify them.
He was asked to comment on claims that there were many medicines being sold with questionable legitimacy.
On Chinese traditional medicines, Liow said these too must be registered with the ministry.
“Enforcement actions will be carried out from time to time.
“Public cooperation is also welcome and they can come forward if they have any information,’’ he added.
Liow said the ministry would draft a new Pharmacy Act as the present punishment for offences were inadequate.
“Culprits are not remorseful despite being penalised with compounds. Because of this, the ministry has to amend the Act.”
He warned medicine sellers not to market their products without registering with the ministry.
On another matter, Liow said the 1Malaysia Clinic was popular in Pahang and the ministry had decided to add seven more, at the cost of RM10mil, in the next five years.
There are now 50 clinics nationwide providing services from 10am to 10pm seven days a week.
Later, Liow visited China Press reporter Chow Siew Chin who was injured following an armed robbery on Tuesday.
Chow, 25, lost RM48,000 when she was robbed of her car and valuables by a knife-wielding man at about 7pm in front of her office at Jalan Lim Hoe Lek here.
Liow advised her and the public to be extra cautious as crime could happen anywhere.

Cracking down on unlicensed contact lens vendors

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Optical Council will issue warnings to online contact lenses vendors to curb the sale of unauthorised contact lenses.
Director-General of Health Datuk Hasan Abdul Rahman said although the Optical Act 1991 did not cover online sales of contact lenses, the move would help improve the situation.
He said the Health Ministry and the council would be enforcing stricter measures.
He added that unauthorised contact lenses vendors at night markets and beauty salons, would be fined heavily.
Contact lenses from an optical store were not guaranteed to be authorised unless the optician had a "prescription and dispensation permit" issued by the council.
Dr Hasan said unlicensed contact lenses vendors could be charged under the Optical Act 1991 and the fine was no less than RM1,000 for the first offence.
For subsequent offences, the fine was RM2,000 as well as six months' jail.
Dr Hasan added that the ministry's Medical Device Control Division and the Private Medical Practice Control Unit (Ukaps) were currently identifying the unauthorised dealers.
"The ministry will be publishing pamphlets specifically for contact lenses users on the dangers of using unauthorised lenses.
"Contact lenses users need proper eye examination and constant supervision, at least in the first year," he said.
Dr Hasan added that the ministry was also working with the Malaysian Customs Department relating to the import and sales of contact lenses in Malaysia.

Toys without Malaysian Conformity mark may cause cancer

BorneoPost: KUALA LUMPUR: That toy may look attractive, but beware! It could pose hidden dangers to your children.
It could be a choking hazard and even cause cancer.
Awareness on the safety of children’s toys in this country is still low.
This can be seen with many consumers still buying toys based on how trendy, sophisticated or attractive they are.
They see toys merely as harmless means of entertaining children.
This is despite numerous media reports, particularly internationally, of children suffering from various accidents and health hazards caused by toys.
They still hold this view even after massive toy recalls and confiscations such as the one in Victoria, Australia, before Christmas.
It was reported that over 10,000 children’s toys have been recalled and confiscated and subsequently destroyed.

A new dimension
Low awareness in Malaysia of the importance of toy safety may have to do with the belated implementation of the Safety Standards Regulations for Children’s Toys, which has been long implemented in developed nations.
The regulation that was enforced on Aug 1, 2010, did leave some impression on Malaysians on the importance of toy safety.
The regulation dictates that all toys manufactured locally or overseas must undergo an evaluation and testing processes before receiving the Malaysian Conformity (MC) mark.
Through related regulations, toy manufacturers, importers and repackers need to observe guidelines to ensure the toys are safe for supply and distribution in Malaysia.
In other words, all the companies involved in the supply and distribution of toys in Malaysia are obliged to follow the guidelines.
The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperation and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has mobilised efforts to raise awareness on toy safety in Malaysia through various media.
A recent Bernama survey found that the ministry’s campaigns, aimed at consumers, have been quite effective.
An Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia staff, Nur Izza Osman, said it never crossed her mind that poorly-made toys could be hazardous for children.
“I knew about the MC marking after watching a television advertisement on it.
I previously bought toys based on how attractive it was rather than whether it had an MC mark,” she said.

Hazardous to health
Some chemicals used in the making of children’s toys can have a lasting effect on a child’s health.
The problem is exacerbated with younger children, whose natural curiousity about the texture, feel and taste of things leads them to regularly suckle on toys.
This exposes them to the risk of cancer, according to the University Malaya Medical Centre Head of the Pharmacy Department, Amrahi Buang.
“For example, plumbum (better known as lead, which is used in paint to make colours bright) can enter a child’s body when they play and suckle on the toy, and accumulate over time.
“Couple that with the kinds of food children eat as they are growing up, and the risk of cancer would have greatly increased for them.”
Such chemicals also cause lung problems, nerve disorders, allergies and other health problems.

Other dangers
Toy safety also encompasses the choice of materials, form, size and sound coming from the toy.
The Malaysian Association of Standards Users CEO Ratna Devi Nadarajan said it was important for parents to know the age level of a toy before purchasing it.
This is because not all toys are suitable for their children’s age level, and thus could expose the children to risk of injuries, such as choking.
Based on the 2011 research report Trouble in Toyland, by the US Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups, choking on small toy parts has continued to be the main cause of fatalities and injuries among children.
The study revealed that 200 children died of choking from 1990 to 2010.
“Poor-quality toys (without the MC mark) such as teddy bears with loose fur coats and buttons that are poorly-sewn on can be hazardous to children, especially those of the age where they suckle and chew on toys.
“What is more dangerous is buying a poorly-made electronic toy as it can potentially explode,” she said.

Prevent from being duped
Although the Safety Standards Regulations for Children’s Toys has been in effect since Aug 1, 2010, it was implemented in stages, as many industry players were still uninformed.
Starting this year, however, action will be taken upon the production of toys without the MC lettering under the Consumer Protection Act 1999, said Rashinah Abdul Hamid, the deputy director-general for Policy and Consumerism Standards Division of KPDNKK.
“The ministry has been discussing with the industry the need for an MC mark since 2008. But not all industry players are up to date with the news and some claim to not know about it at all.
“So we decided to implement the ruling in stages so that it can be done fairly, without taking anyone by surprise. To date, we have checked 59,964 premises,” she said.
Rashinah gave two useful tips to detect a fake MC mark.
First, the letters MC should be either in black or white.
Next, there should be a registration number inscribed under the MC lettering, along with the addresses of the manufacturer, importer and repacker.
Consumers should not simply assume that toys in the market are safe for children.
Such a mentality is dangerous and needs to be changed for the sake of children’s health and safety.
Children have yet to learn to become discerning consumers so it is up to the parents to ensure that they are protected from harm.

MMC to be corporatised

The Sun Daily PUTRAJAYA (Jan 24, 2012): The government will soon table an amendment to the Medical Act 1971 to corporatise the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) – a move aimed at addressing concerns of declining medical standards in the country.

Health Deputy Director General (Medical) Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told theSun recently that once the amendment is passed, the MMC will be a professional body responsible for maintaining medical standards in the country, and more significantly, for performance monitoring of doctors.

The amendment is expected to be tabled when the Dewan Rakyat reconvenes in March.

"The corporatisation of MMC is to emulate the General Medical Council (GMC) in the United Kingdom, where it functions not only to set and monitor standards of the medical profession, but also the competency of doctors registered with it," said Noor Hisham.

GMC is a fee-based registered charity which maintains a register of its medical practitioners, and functions to protect public interests by ensuring compliance to medical standards.

Noor Hisham said the monitoring of doctor's performance is the way forward for quality healthcare.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai told theSun that the move is to make the council more efficient in its daily administrative work, as well as free it from government bureaucracy.

"MMC is growing by leaps and bounds, it has registered around 35,000 doctors now, so we have to look into making MMC more efficient and not tie it down with government bureaucracy or circular," said Liow.

He added that corporatising the council will ensure that it operates as a stand-alone, independent professional body, akin to the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, the Bar Council and the Institute of Engineers Malaysia.

Under the purview of the Health Ministry, the MMC currently functions under the same principles as the GMC, and also acts as a disciplinary body for the medical profession.

A long serving member of the council, who is also a senior doctor in a public hospital, told theSun the move will resolve the occasional conflict between the functions of the council as the 'whip' of the medical profession, and its role as advisors to the Health Ministry.

"The very fact that the council is funded and run by the ministry, there will be some conflict of interest between the two," the doctor, who declined to be named, said.

He said there were also occasionally some difficulties for the MMC to exercise its disciplinary roles, especially when involving ministry-employed doctors, though he did not give specific examples.

"The move has of course been welcomed by the MMC, and hopefully with its corporatisation it will receive more funding, be more efficient, and able to function independently and with professionalism," he said.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Medical Association also welcomed the move, although it admits that it was not consulted on the matter.

"However, the move is a good as it will make the MMC an independent body and there will be no potential conflict of interest, since currently the Health Ministry director general is also the chairman of the MMC," said MMA president Dr Mary Cardosa.

She added that in the interest of good governance, the MMC must have representatives from all stakeholders who will be responsible for the registration of doctors and maintenance of standards of practice and ethics among doctors.

However, Cardosa disagreed that there may be an increase in fees paid for annual practising certificates (APC) with the corporatisation, and that it may be passed down to patients. Doctors in private practice currently pay RM50 per annum.

"Currently government doctors have their APC fees waived, but even if the APC fees are increased, it will not burden the patients as the fees are not high, and doctors' fees are closely regulated by the law," she said.

The medical standards in the country have come under scrutiny of late, as claims of poorly-qualified housemen, dipping standards in medical education and overcrowded hospitals flood the media.

TheSun, last November, front-paged concerns by senior doctors over the poor quality of some housemen, due to the proliferation of medical schools which produce sub-standard graduates.

Sources had said the situation may be worsened by the government's decision to quash a proposal to abolish the list of 365 recognised overseas foreign universities, and make it compulsory to pass the Medical Qualifying Exam before practising medicine here.

The government instead directed that the list of recognised universities be shortened and reviewed more frequently, and Health Director General Datuk Seri Hasan Abdul Rahman told theSun last month that the list may be slashed by as much as half to maintain standards.

Infants did not die of infections, says ministry

Star: PETALING JAYA: The deaths of the two infants at a childcare centre in Taman Permata Ampang were not caused by infections, said the Health Ministry.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said preliminary lab tests on tissue samples from both infants' lungs and other organs showed that infections were not the main causes of their sudden death.
However, he noted that the ministry had yet to exclude the possibility of milk aspiration as the main cause of death.
“The final conclusion can only be made after all laboratory results, currently being conducted by the Chemistry Department, are received in about two to three weeks time,” said Dr Hasan in a statement.
The final report on the matter will be handed over to the police for further action as a police report as been made.
On Jan 19, three-and-a-halfmonth old Muzaffar Mohd Faizal and seven-month-old Hariz died under the care of their minders at a childcare centre.
Both infants were reported to experience symptoms of cough and cold before their death.
No signs of any serious infectious disease were detected at the childcare centre.
Dr Hasan said health officers had conducted repeated checks at the centre and educated its caretakers on personal hygiene of children.

Docs who don’t report dengue cases face action, Liow warns

The Star KUALA LUMPUR: Medical practitioners who fail to report dengue cases treated at their respective facilities will face action under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

Under the Act, medical practitioners are required to report dengue cases to the health office within 24 hours.

"The ministry regards this as a serious matter because failure to report such cases will hamper the effort to control the disease, and contribute to an outbreak," he said in a statement.

He said last year, six medical officers of a private hospital in Petaling Jaya were fined RM1,000 each for failing to report dengue cases that were treated in their facility.

"The ministry found 213 dengue cases treated by the hospital and of the total, six were not reported to any health office," he said, adding that the ministry would carry out continuous monitoring on private and government clinics and hospital to ensure all dengue cases are reported.

Dengue claimed two lives during the first week of this year, he said.

There are 921 dengue cases so far this year. - Bernama