Gullible Public Fuelling Sale Of So-called Medicinal Products

PENANG, April 6 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry is unable to control so-called medicinal products sold on the street, promising beauty and health to their users, as long as members of the public are gullible enough to fall for such deception.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said unscrupulous parties would continue to market these products if people chose to ignore the ministry's advice.
"It's not easy to control such merchandise although we have time and again explained that these products are dangerous and may be lethal," he told reporters after opening a conference on contagious diseases organised by the Malaysian Medical Association's Penang branch here Friday.
He said the ministry had never endorsed the sale of such items as they had not been backed by any clinical evidence.
"For this reason, people who consume these medicines may come down with various illnesses that can kill them," he said.
Mohd Ismail said those wishing for an attractive face and a slim body would need to take care of their diet and exercise regularly as only a healthy lifestyle could ensure their well-being.
He said that people who were obese should seek treatment in hospitals as medical prescriptions were issued under strict supervision there.
Noting that the ministry would intensify public awareness campaign so that people were wary of dubious medicinal products, he said that all advertisements pertaining to medicine should carry the ministry's advertisement board permit.
Without such a permit, the media can't carry the advertisements concerned.