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How To Know If The Sanitiser You Bought Online Is Fake

How To Know If The Sanitiser You Bought Online Is Fake

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With stores running low on hand sanitisers, many are turning online to get their supply as the Covid-19 pandemic continues.

Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous folks who are taking advantage of the panic to produce and sell substandard quality hand sanitisers that are hardly effective against viruses.

To help Malaysians determine if the hand sanitisers they bought online is fake or authentic, the Health Ministry’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) is here.

The agency has urged that consumers check the authenticity of the products they buy on the NPRA website (HERE) or NPRA smartphone application.

Product registration search on the NPRA website.
(Screenshot from NPRA website)

Melaka Health Department (JKN) Pharmaceutical Services Division enforcement branch assistant director Mohd Hafiz Abdul Seddek told Bernama that hand sanitisers are divided into two categories; cosmetics which have gone through the notification process, or general medicine which must be registered with the Health Ministry.

So, the best way to check is by using the product number:

  • Begins with NOT for cosmetics
  • Begins with MAL for general medicine.
Product search result on NPRA website.
(Screenshot from NPRA website)

The product number and information should be the same as what’s seen on the product label itself.

If you’re using hand sanitiser to get rid of viruses, make sure that it contains at least 60% alcohol. 

At least 60% alcohol is needed to kill most viruses, so alcohol-free sanitisers do not work against viruses.

If you can’t get access to hand sanitiser, the best way to kill viruses is water and soap. So remember to wash your hands frequently!


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