Materia Medica Malaysiana

Meditag guarantee of quality

Twenty-six million ringgit. That is the value of unregistered medicine and health supplements seized by the Pharmaceutical Enforcement Division last year.
The figure represents a four-fold increase compared with the RM6.5 million worth of products confiscated in 2003.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said unregistered products were often promoted as "wonder drugs". And they do not come cheap.
Such products, he said, could be unsafe as well as ineffectual.
This is the reason cited for the use of a label that will help consumers choose certified products.
"The use of a hologram label, better known as the Meditag label, in force from May 1, will help the authorities keep track of pharmaceutical products in the market," he said at the launch of the tag here today.
Meditag contains security features and serial numbers to authenticate pharmaceutical products. This would enable consumers and enforcement teams to recognise immediately registered goods.
Mediharta Sdn Bhd is the sole supplier of Meditag, which is licensed to manufacturers and importers at a cost of 5.6 sen per label.
As of today, about 20 million labels have been distributed.
"All products registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) are required to carry the Meditag label," Dr Chua said.
"Cosmetics and external personal care products, such as medicated soaps, shampoos and toothpastes, are not required to carry the label, yet."
However, he said, products in the market before the May 1 enforcement date need not be recalled.
Dr Chua said a report released in Geneva recently stated that 25 per cent of medicines in developing countries were sub-standard, ineffective and unsafe.
"The world market value of fake medicine is estimated at US$32 billion (RM120 billion) and about 38 per cent of the malaria medication used in Southeast Asia is ineffective," he added.
Asked why only one company was given the right to distribute the security label, he said it was for security purposes.
On Mediharta Sdn Bhd’s selection, he said the contract was awarded before his tenure as Health Minister and "you have to ask the former Health Minister (Datuk Chua Jui Meng) on this".