Materia Medica Malaysiana

Grace period for drug makers to get hologram stickers

PETALING JAYA: Authorities will give manufacturers a “grace period” to get their hologram stickers ready. Enforcement officers will not go on their rounds immediately, Health Ministry pharmaceutical services division director Datuk Mohd Zin Che Awang said.
He, however, added that this did not mean there was a postponement of the ruling, which took effect on Sunday.
“This period is a flexibility given to the manufacturers to get their act together,” he said yesterday.
As part of the Health Ministry’s efforts to curb counterfeit products, all packages of medicine and prescription drugs are required to have special hologram stickers.
The hologram stickers are similar to the ones used on CDs and VCDs. Errant manufacturers can be fined up to RM25,000 or be jailed a maximum three years for the first offence and RM50,000 or five years' jail for subsequent offences.
Mohd Zin said that once enforcement operations began, action would be taken against manufacturers not complying with the hologram ruling.
He added that only products manufactured or imported on or after May 1 would be subjected to the ruling.
“We are open to feedback from industry players if they have concerns about the ruling.
“But we have to give the ruling a try to see if there are any hiccups in implementation,” he added.
Asked if the prices of medicine and drugs would go up following the ruling, Mohd Zin said prices would “definitely go up” but would be kept in check due to healthy competition.
“There are so many brands in the market and consumers are able to switch brands if they find one product to be too expensive.
“This will prevent manufacturers from severely marking up their prices,” he added.