KUALA LUMPUR, August 6 — Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh told Parliament today that doctors’ prescriptions and itemised billing in private medical clinics are now mandatory.
Her shocking announcement – which had not previously been heard before – was made in an answer to Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat earlier this morning, who had asked about the outcome of National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) meetings this year.
“Many decisions were made in relation to the aspect of health,” Fuziah told the Dewan Rakyat.
“The first in the health aspect was mandating prescriptions for every consultation. This means that when someone sees a doctor, a prescription is mandatory. Then the patient understands that they are not required to buy medications at that clinic, but have the option of purchasing them at a pharmacy.
“So prescriptions are mandatory.”
Fuziah also cited the drug price display mandate under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723) – which requires private health care facilities and community pharmacies to display retail medicine prices – that she said began full force on August 1.
“We have also mandated itemised billing in clinics – how much is the consultation et cetera,” said Fuziah. “Those were among Naccol’s significant decisions for health.”
It is unclear if the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has jurisdiction to make doctors’ prescriptions and itemised billing mandatory or if these policies require amendments to regulations or principal legislations.
Prior to Fuziah’s announcement today, it was understood that itemised bills in private medical clinics were only mandatory upon request.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement last May that there was no change in the policy on itemised billing, saying this was only mandatory under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services (Private Hospitals and Other Private Healthcare Facilities) Regulations 2006 if a patient requested it.
As for doctors’ prescriptions, the 2022 amendment of the Poisons Act 1952 did not include a provision to mandate prescriptions upon request – much less make it mandatory in general regardless of whether a patient requested it.
The 2025 amendment of the Poisons Act, which was passed by the Dewan Rakyat last month, did not mandate prescriptions either, whether on request or in general.
Prescriptions are only mandatory upon request under the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) Guidelines on Good Dispensing Practice.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat in a written parliamentary reply last Thursday that the drug price display order under Act 723 would be enforced by MOH pharmacy enforcement officers who have been delegated the authority by KPDN to act as assistant price controllers.
Effectively, this means that price display enforcement will be carried out exclusively by KPDN, since pharmacy officers will be legally carrying out their duties as KPDN officers who report to KPDN, not MOH officers reporting to MOH.
The only practical difference is that these new KPDN officers enforcing medicine price display have pharmacy qualifications.
Given Fuziah’s announcement today, it’s unclear if KPDN has also assumed jurisdiction over doctors’ prescriptions and itemised billing in private medical clinics.
