News Clippings

Nanyang Siang Pau - 28 September 2004

Malacca Health Department officers conducted raids and seized 900 types of banned medicines.

27th Malacca - Pharmacy enforcement officers from Health Department of Malacca together with 26 other enforcement officers throughout the country conducted raids on 14 medical shops in Malacca town today. A total of 900 types of unregistered and banned medicines worth RM275,000.00 were seized. 

The above enforcement officers who were headed by the deputy director of Malacca Health Department Nor Hazemah Yaakob left the hotel at about 11am. They conducted inspection in the Malacca Sentral Complex, shops along Jalan Hang Tuah and Hang Tuah Shopping Complex. 

The enforcement officers seized huge quantity of unregistered medicines mainly imported from Indonesia. They include steroids, contraceptive pills, antibiotics and medicines for improving appetite, etc. 

Nor Hazemah said the enforcement officers seized all the unregistered medicines and those involved in the sale of these medicines will be charged in court. She said the Pharmacy Department will conduct random check on the companies and their owners involved in the above activity. This is because unregistered medicines are not safe for consumption. They are not allowed to be sold in the market. She said only authorized pharmacies are allowed to sell steroids. At the same time buyers must produce prescriptions from doctors while purchasing. However the owners of the above shops which have been raided sold steroids openly together with other medicines. 

She pointed out that offenders will be charged under the Control of Medicines and Cosmetics Regulation Sec 7(1)(Revised 2001). They will be fined to a maximum of RM25,000 or 3 years inprisonment or both if they are found guilty. The fine for repeat offenders is double the amount of the first offenders. Companies which contravened the above regulation will be fined RM50,000 and the amount will be doubled for repeat offence. 

"The Malacca Pharmacy Unit of the Health Department will not hesitate to take action on those who have committed an offence. This is because the above midicines will result in harmful effects to the health of comsumers." 

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