PETALING JAYA: Unregulated and unregistered medical devices and medicines are easily available to customers at their fingertips.
The Star’s check of ecommerce platforms found that blood lancets and contact lenses, for instance, were being sold openly, with some sellers indicating that the items were not registered with the Health Ministry’s Medical Device Authority.
Medicines must be registered and approved for sale or use by the Drug Control Authority.
Authorised drugs will have a registration number which starts with MAL, printed on the label or package, but The Star found mifepristone or abortion pills being sold on ecommerce platforms, and these were being shipped directly from countries such as Vietnam.
Pills marketed as period regulation and breast enhancement tablets are being sold without their trade names, making it difficult for consumers to know their source.
Based on the customers’ feedback segment, Mucolytics, which are drugs used for mucus thinning, clearing airways and treating chronic lung and breathing conditions, were also being sold - and in bulk.
Expressing concern over the availability of such illicit medications online, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia public health specialist Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said some of these medicines were being marketed as “supplements,” not drugs.
“There are a lot of medical devices that are unregistered,” she said. “But what is scary are the unregistered medicines. And these are often marketed as being useful for supplementary treatment.”
A lot of people were unknowingly buying them, said Prof Sharifa Ezat, because these cost a lot less online than at authorised pharmacies.
She also said the efficacy of such drugs could not be ascertained, adding that they could potentially come with a string of health hazards.
“In addition, some online sellers are also not licensed to dispense medicines.
“By right, we should not be buying medicines through these illicit sellers or vendors. It can actually have an impact on you. There can be side effects.
“It can damage your body and your system. That means your kidney, your liver or you can get poisoned by it. There are a lot of heavy metals (present in these medicines),” she said, adding that enforcement should be stepped up to clamp down on the sale of such items, especially via online sites.
Prof Sharifa Ezat said some unscrupulous sellers marketed their products with lofty claims on their effects, adding that when such drugs are not prescribed by licensed medical practitioners, consumers consume these medicines at their own risk.
“Demand for unregistered drugs has grown after Covid-19 due to rising costs.
“The government needs to ensure that drugs are available at relatively cheap and accessible prices.
“Some could be made to be bought over the counter so people can access them easily,” she said.
“Pharmacists should also be available at clinics or community centres after working hours to increase access to safe medication.”
