Hologram Ruling Brings Down Imitation Health Products

SUBANG JAYA, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- Enforcement of the Hologram sticker ruling effective May 1 to ensure only genuine pharmaceuticals are sold in the market has significantly reduced sale of imitation health products in the market, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Tuesday.
He said this was evident from lesser seizures of imitation healthcare products since the ruling came into force.
Close monitoring by the ministry's pharmacy services division also contributed, he said.
Last year, the value of imitation health products seized and pharmaceuticals not approved by the ministry totalled RM27 million compared to only RM6.5 million in 2003.
So far this year, the amount has dropped considerably," he told reporters after opening the National Regulatory Conference 2005.
Hologram stickers are compulsory for pharmaceuticals sold in the market to ensure they are genuine products approved by the Health Ministry.
Hologram stickers imported from a French company were supplied by Mediharta Sdn Bhd to importers and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the country at 5.6 sen each.
The stickers have three security features including serial numbers which enable the authorities to detect the manufacturers if the labels are abused for imitation products.
Dr Chua said the stickers would be evaluated every year to enable the ministry to make an assessment on its effectiveness.
Since the ruling was enforced on May 1, none of the importers questioned the stickers' effectiveness, he said.
Earlier, in his speech, Dr Chua said till July this year the Drug Control Authority registered 101,423 products -- 10,206 medicines, 7,604 over-the-counter medicines, 13,803 traditional medicines and 69,810 cosmetics.
Of the total, 30,124 medicines or 29.7 per cent are locally manufactured while another 71,299 or 70.3 per cent are imported, he added.