By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 30: All private healthcare facilities and community pharmacies will be required to clearly label medicine prices starting May 1, 2025, under a joint initiative by the Ministry of Health (KKM) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), in line with the MADANI government’s commitment to promoting price transparency.
In a joint statement, the ministries announced that this initiative — implemented under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 [Act 723] — aims to ensure the public can make informed choices when purchasing medications. It will be carried out through the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Medicine Price Labelling) Order 2025.
The measure applies to all private healthcare facilities regulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 [Act 586] that sell, supply, or administer medications, as well as community pharmacies.
The labelling requirement covers all medicines intended for human use, including those with or without prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, traditional medicines, health supplements, and extemporaneous preparations.
Medicines on display and accessible to consumers must be tagged or labelled with a price. Those behind the counter or not accessible to the public must have a price list displayed in catalogues, notice boards, or electronic screens within the premises.
An initial three-month educational enforcement phase will be conducted to allow private healthcare providers time to adapt and update their practices. During this period, inspections and advocacy will be carried out to ensure compliance.
Price-labelling enforcement will be led by KKM with guidance and cooperation from KPDN.
For further information, the public can visit the official Pharmacy Services Programme portal at www.pharmacy.gov.my, or contact chu@moh.gov.my.
Consumers can lodge complaints regarding medicine pricing through the Public Complaint Management System (SISPAA) at https://moh.spab.gov.my or the KPDN eAduan Portal at https://eaduan.kpdn.gov.my. — DayakDaily
