We express our full support for the official statement issued by the Director-General of Health on October 24, 2025 regarding the legal scope of vaccine administration and the recent controversy surrounding proposed training programmes purporting to authorise pharmacists to perform vaccinations.
The Ministry of Health’s (MOH) clarification is both timely and decisive. Under current Malaysian law, the administration of vaccines by injection is a regulated clinical procedure permitted only for registered medical practitioners or other personnel explicitly authorised under existing statutes and regulations.
To date, there is no legal authority that allows pharmacists, in their professional capacity, to independently administer vaccines to patients. Any suggestion to the contrary is legally baseless and professionally irresponsible.
We are deeply alarmed by the public statements issued by certain individuals and representatives of professional bodies notably the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) that misinterpret, misrepresent, or wilfully disregard the governing legal framework.
Such conduct misleads the public, confuses healthcare professionals, and places patients at unnecessary risk. Worse, it undermines the credibility of the very professions entrusted with protecting public health.
Patient safety is not negotiable. Public health is not a playground for professional experimentation or self-promotion. Every act that involves direct patient care must comply with the laws, scopes of practice, and regulatory standards established by the Ministry of Health.
Everyone must remember and never forget that these standards exist not to restrict, but to protect lives, preserve trust, and uphold the integrity of health care itself.
We urge all professional organisations and practitioners to cease disseminating inaccurate, speculative, or self-serving interpretations of the law. Respect for the MOH and the director-general is not optional, it is a duty that underpins the integrity and trustworthiness of Malaysia’s entire health care system.
Our organisation stands firmly behind the director-general’s leadership and his steadfast commitment to uphold the rule of law, professional accountability, and the safety of every patient in this nation.
We are not opposed to progress. We are opposed to recklessness masquerading as innovation, and to convenience being placed above care.
Because at the end of the day, the health of Malaysians deserves more than speed or simplicity, it deserves safety, integrity, and the highest professional standards.
This statement was issued by PMPASKL president Dr Eugene Chooi.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
