Private Doctors Not Protesting Drug Price Display
The private healthcare practitioners are also calling for a review of consultation fees, which they say have been stagnant for 33 years.
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Hundreds of general practitioners (GPs) gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on 6 May to protest a mandatory drug price display ruling that came into effect recently.
Private healthcare facilities and community pharmacies are now required to display medicine price lists due to the new rule that took effect on 1 May. This regulation is part of a broader set of anti-profiteering laws.
In a statement, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said that doctors support price transparency, but are against the use of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723) for enforcing medicine price displays. They are calling for the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586) to be used instead.
MMA highlighted the consequence of being subjected to both Act 723 and Act 586 could result in enforcement overlaps. They also noted that Act 723 was designed for retail businesses, and are concerned that the overlap may cause confusion.
The association said doctors support price transparency but insist it be implemented through Act 586. They also seek meaningful discussion between the government and stakeholders to resolve the issue, and are calling for a solid legal framework to avoid duplication.
MMA says professional medical services cannot be compared to a retail goods store
According to a New Straits Times report, MMA president-elect Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, who was also at the protest, highlighted the complexity and cost of delivering medical services.
“We provide a professional service that includes patient registration, consultation, investigation and prescription,” he said.
He added that doctors spend their best years studying and training to provide medical services to open a private clinic, noting that “the barrier to entry is very high”.
“Anyone can open a sundry shop. You can’t compare a professional service to selling goods,” he told reporters after submitting the memorandum.
Many are confused with the reason behind the protest
It’s understandable for those who are not part of the medical community to be wondering what the main issue is with the protest. After all, price transparency is a good thing for consumers.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) asked if anyone could explain the doctors’ protest on drug price transparency.
Another user, Hairul Izlan, tweeted a response explaining the issue.
“The doctors are not protesting the drug price display rule itself. They are protesting the drug price display rule being placed under Act 723, which is governed by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living (KPDNKK). They want the ruling to be placed under the health ministry’s Act 586.
“They are protesting at the medical clinic level only. Suppliers still do not provide transparency of sale prices to clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals,” he said.
Hairul claimed it was not an issue of the supplier selling drugs at low or high prices but rather the manipulation of the prices, which leads to clinics charging higher than pharmacies.
Another user asked why clinics get charged higher by the supplier, and theorised that there’s a limited number of suppliers which allows them to monopolise the price of drugs.
Hairul claimed suppliers simply do not offer clinics what they offer pharmacies, and that if the drugs are bought at a bulk price, it’s still higher than what they offer to “preferred clients”, alleging that its a well known occurence in the industry.
Doctors take issue with the way the law was implemented, and call for a revision on consultation fees
Thirunavukarasu said doctors support the new law that requires the display of drug prices, as it is the patients’ right to know. However, they take issue with the way the law was enacted, saying that it was done without proper consultation with the medical community.
This also comes before the government’s promise to revise GP consultation fees, which have been capped at RM10 to RM35 since 1992.
A doctor at the rally said “We feel betrayed, the health ministry had promised to increase consultation fees first. After years of study, we’re charging RM10 to RM35 (for consultation) – while barbers already charge RM25 nowadays”.
Thirunavukarasu said that details on the fee revision are still being finalised by the government, following a recent meeting.
Transparent pricing is meant to protect consumers
Amid rising living costs and health insurance premiums, worries have arisen regarding the affordability of healthcare in Malaysia. University Malaysia Medical Centre, one of the largest public hospitals in Malaysia that serves a significant portion of the Klang Valley, increased its service fees on 1 January.
Nevertheless, patients and consumer interest groups have welcomed the mandatory drug price display law as a positive step toward greater transparency, accountability, and consumer empowerment in healthcare.
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