Pharmacists unlikely link to beta-agonist

Star: PETALING JAYA: It is unlikely that pharmacists are involved in supplying beta-agonist to feed millers or farmers, said the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society.
President John Chang said he had not heard of any reported case of pharmacists supplying the banned drug to be mixed into livestock feed locally.
“Our shorelines are so exposed. Illegal drugs can easily enter the country and farmers can easily buy beta-agonist direct from the black market or smuggle it in without needing to go through pharmacists,” he said.
He was responding to a statement on Friday by MCA Traditional Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Bureau chairman Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng, who urged the Health Ministry to go after pharmacies that smuggled in beta-agonist.
Chang said those in the pharmaceutical industry were unlikely to bring in the banned drug because they were already making good profit with medication for people and did not need to depend on the illegal drug.
“Why is the beta-agonist issue still persisting after all these years? The issue is about continuous enforcement and vigilance,” Chang said.