Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: Wikipedia

The Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad, has said that the government will keep educating people about medicine price transparency even though some doctors and medical groups are taking legal action to stop the government’s new rule on medicine pricing.

Dzulkefly said he respects the legal action being taken, but made it clear that the Ministry of Health will not stop its awareness and education efforts. Speaking at the National Health Technology Assessment Conference 2025, the minister explained that helping the public understand medicine pricing is too important to delay.

The Price Control Policy on Medicines

The issue began when the government introduced a new policy that made it necessary for private clinics to display the prices of the medicines they sell. This new rule was part of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Drugs) Order 2025, which was officially announced on May 1, 2025.

Under this new rule, private clinics have to clearly show the prices of all medicines they offer to their patients. The idea is to make sure patients know how much they are being charged and to stop any unfair pricing practices.

The government gave three months—from May 1 to July 31—for clinics to prepare for this new rule. Full enforcement of the policy is set to begin on August 1, 2025.

Medical Groups Object to the Rule

However, several medical associations and a general practitioner from Sabah are unhappy with this directive. They have filed a judicial review in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, arguing that the government has gone beyond its legal powers.

These groups include:

• Association of Private Practitioners, Sabah (APPS)

• Malaysian Medical Association (MMA)
• Malaysian Association for the Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine (Maafim)
• Organisation of Malaysian Muslim Doctors (Perdim)
• Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM)
• Malaysian Private Dental Practitioners’ Association (MPDPA)
• Society of Private Medical Practitioners Sarawak (SPMPS)
• Dr. Saifulbahri Ahmad

They have named Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, and the Malaysian federal government as the respondents in their legal challenge.

Why Are They Objecting?

These doctors and medical groups believe the new order is unfair and goes beyond what the law allows. Their main argument is based on the fact that Section 10 of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 does not give the government the authority to control the prices of medicines that are given to patients during medical treatment.

They also say that Section 19 of the Poisons Act 1952 covers medicines given directly during treatment and that such items should not fall under the price display rule. They feel this new rule could interfere with how doctors manage patient care and may affect professional medical practice.

Health Minister’s Response

Despite these objections, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said he welcomes and respects the judicial process. He explained that even the Health Ministry has previously faced judicial reviews, especially under the Medicines (Price Control) Act 852.

Dzulkefly said:

“As a minister, I welcome and respect the judicial process. We were also previously subjected to judicial review under the Medicines (Price Control) Act 852. As such, I support the idea of allowing the process to proceed.”

However, he strongly believes that the Ministry’s education and awareness programs must not stop during this time. He said the public has the right to know about medicine pricing and that this effort cannot wait until the court case is over.

“In the meantime, our educational and advocacy efforts must continue. We cannot afford to pause just because a judicial review is underway,” he told reporters.

Why Education is Important

Dzulkefly also said that stopping all activities related to the enforcement of the rule could leave a gap in public understanding. He believes it is important to continue helping the public learn about how to read and understand the prices of medicines. This is especially important for patients who may not know they are being overcharged or don’t understand what they are paying for.

The Health Ministry wants people to feel safe and confident when visiting clinics and buying medicine. They believe transparency will reduce confusion and protect the rights of patients.

What Happens Next?

The judicial review filed by the medical associations will now go through the court process. This means a judge will review the arguments and decide whether the government’s new order is legal or not.

Until then, the Ministry of Health will continue its efforts to:

• Educate the public about the new rule
• Help clinics prepare for full enforcement on August 1
• Provide clear information on medicine pricing
• Make sure no one is unfairly charged for medical treatment

What is a Judicial Review?

For those unfamiliar, a judicial review is a process where the court checks whether a government decision or law is legal and follows the Constitution. It does not decide if the policy is good or bad—it only checks if the government had the right to make that rule.

What Should Clinics Do Now?

While the court case continues, private clinics are still expected to:

• Display retail prices of all medicines sold to patients
• Follow the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health
• Avoid hiding or changing prices without informing patients

This three-month grace period, which ends on July 31, was given to make sure all clinics have enough time to prepare.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Policy Matters

The government believes that price transparency in healthcare is an important step toward fair treatment for all Malaysians. Many patients, especially those from low-income families, have struggled to understand or question the prices of the medicines they receive. This can lead to mistrust and even people avoiding treatment because they worry about the cost.

By making price labels mandatory:

• Patients will know the cost of each medicine
• They can ask questions if they see something strange
• It creates a fair and competitive healthcare environment

While the legal battle between the medical groups and the government continues, one thing remains clear: the Health Ministry will not stop educating the public about medicine pricing.

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad believes in both respecting the courts and standing firm in protecting patients' rights. The final decision will be made by the courts, but until then, public awareness and preparation will continue so that Malaysians are ready for the changes starting August 1.