KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has told employers not to interfere with doctors’ clinical decision-making authority for cost control purposes.
The country’s largest doctors’ group said it recognised that employers and corporate benefit administrators had the right to determine the scope of health care coverage for their employees and that newer therapies came with higher cost implications.
“However, there must be a clear boundary between what is covered and what is prescribed,” MMA president Dr R. Arasu told CodeBlue in a statement.
“Prescribing decisions must remain based on the clinical needs of the patient, guided by current evidence and clinical guidelines — not by employer benefit structures. GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists are established, guideline-supported therapies for type 2 diabetes, particularly in patients with cardiovascular risk or obesity-related insulin resistance.”
CodeBlue reported yesterday a directive by automaker Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd last month to panel clinics to stop prescribing GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 injections to its staff for diabetes, pending further evaluation.
These blockbuster medications, which treat both type 2 diabetes and obesity, reportedly cost around RM800 to RM1,000 a month.
“When a doctor is directed to prescribe a less appropriate alternative purely on cost grounds, this moves beyond benefit management into clinical decision-making. That line should not be crossed,” said Dr Arasu.
“MMA’s position is clear: the doctor prescribes, the patient decides, and the payor funds what it covers.
“Where a clinically indicated treatment falls outside the benefit scheme, co-payment is a reasonable approach. The patient is informed, given the choice, and allowed to decide. This maintains cost control while preserving clinical independence and patient autonomy.
“MMA calls on the Ministry of Health to provide clear guidance that clinical prescribing decisions, made in the best interest of the patient, must not be overridden by corporate or administrative directives.”
