KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) spent RM17.35 million on biologic medicines for psoriasis in 2025, a 46.7 per cent increase from the previous year, as it expands access to high-cost treatments for patients with severe disease.
The ministry plans to seek an additional RM29 million under a 2027 new initiative application to fund six biologic drugs, subject to approval by the Ministry of Finance.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said a subset of psoriasis patients require biologic therapy due to poor disease control with standard treatments.
“It cannot be denied that there is a small group of patients whose psoriasis symptoms are difficult to control and require biologic treatment, which is relatively costly,” Dzulkefly said in a written Dewan Rakyat reply on February 26 to Siti Mastura Muhammad (PN-Kepala Batas).
Psoriasis treatment under the Clinical Practice Guidelines includes topical medications, phototherapy, and systemic therapies such as methotrexate, acitretin, and cyclosporin.
“There are various treatment methods available and most patients respond positively to these treatments,” Dzulkefly said.
MOH said it is taking steps to manage rising drug costs while expanding access. These include bulk procurement of medicines under government contracts to secure better pricing through economies of scale, covering both systemic and biologic therapies.
MOH is also implementing pooled procurement with the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Defence to consolidate demand, increase bargaining power, and generate cost savings.
The ministry is promoting the use of generic medicines as a more affordable alternative to innovator drugs to reduce health care expenditure without compromising quality and effectiveness.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease that affects not only the skin but also joint function.
Data from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry recorded 33,993 patients between 2007 and 2024, with the majority – 28,460 patients (83.7 per cent) – aged 20 to 69.
MOH data showed that 384 psoriasis patients with complications required hospital admission in 2024, of whom 314 (81.8 per cent) were aged 20 to 69.
MOH said it will continue to improve access to psoriasis treatment in public hospitals while managing cost pressures from biologic therapies.
