KUALA LUMPUR, August 12 — The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) has endorsed mandatory prescriptions, itemised billing, and drug price display in private health care facilities as being consistent with international best practice.
The pharmacists’ group said every patient had the right to know the cost of their medicines and to choose where they are dispensed.
“The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) supports reforms that strengthen transparency, patient choice, and safety in health care,” MPS president Prof Amrahi Buang said in a statement to CodeBlue.
CodeBlue asked MPS about potential safety concerns with de facto dispensing separation caused by mandatory prescriptions, since Malaysians may shop around general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists, while the country still lacks a central electronic medical records (EMR) system that stores people’s medication history.
“The risks associated with incomplete medication histories, polypharmacy, and multiple prescribers are already present in the current system, including when patients obtain medicines from different clinics.
“Mandatory prescriptions do not create this risk — they highlight the need to strengthen digital health infrastructure, including e-prescribing and shared medication records, so that all providers can make informed, safe decisions,” said Amrahi.
He cited studies that found that in the United Kingdom, community pharmacists detected and resolved prescribing errors in approximately 5 to 7.5 per cent of prescriptions before they reached patients.
Systematic reviews also show that pharmacist intervention improves adherence and reduces preventable medication-related hospital admissions, added MPS.
The pharmacists’ group added that it is developing an independent e-prescription exchange platform to allow authorised doctors, pharmacists, and other health care professionals to securely share prescription information with patient consent.
“This will create a consistent, current record to support safe dispensing, regardless of practice setting,” said Amrahi.
MPS acknowledged the Private Medical Practitioners Association of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur’s (PMPASKL) statement yesterday that prescriptions and itemised bills are already provided upon request by medical practitioners.
“While this is true in some settings, relying solely on patient requests creates inconsistency and leaves gaps in transparency, particularly for those who may not know their rights, feel intimidated to ask, or face language barriers,” said MPS.
“In health care, core patient rights should be delivered proactively as a standard, not contingent on a request. Making prescriptions and itemised bills a default practice ensures that every patient receives clear, complete information about their treatment and costs, regardless of background or circumstances.”
PMPASKL had also claimed that making prescriptions and itemised bills mandatory for every case would “only create pointless paperwork” and “slow down patient care.”
“We share the view that reforms must not create unnecessary administrative burdens, which is why we advocate for digital solutions and standardised templates to integrate these requirements smoothly into clinic and pharmacy workflows,” said MPS.
The pharmacists’ group stressed that the reforms of mandatory prescriptions, itemised billing, and price display should be implemented with “clear legal authority, phased roll-out, and collaboration between professions.”
“Done well, they will protect patient rights, improve health literacy, and strengthen the integrity and sustainability of Malaysia’s health care system,” said Amrahi.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh told the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday that the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) has “mandated” doctors’ prescriptions and itemised billing in private medical clinics, besides mandatory drug price display.
The Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Drug) Order 2025 came into effect last May 1 under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723).
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad has yet to break his silence on Fuziah’s statement to clarify the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry’s (KPDN) “encroachment” into medical practice, as perceived by doctors’ groups, nor to explain the source of legal authority for mandatory prescriptions and itemised billing across board without being contingent on a patient’s request.
