THE Ministry of Health (MOH) has uncovered more than 21,000 illegal health products in circulation across the country, including unregistered supplements and cosmetics containing potentially harmful substances.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad described the situation as "deeply worrying", noting that many of these products are widely available both online and in physical shops with little to no oversight.
“A total of 21,571 units of unauthorised products were seized last year, valued at RM37.5 million. This marks an increase from 20,157 units worth RM24.8 million seized in 2023,” he said.
“Out of that number, 17,630 were unregistered supplements, while 3,941 were cosmetic products,” he told reporters after launching the Central Zone leg of the 2025 TOBaTS (Kembara Ubat Tidak Sah) awareness campaign at Dewan Dato’ Penggawa Permatang in Shar Alam on Saturday.
Dzulkefly warned that Malaysia is facing a serious health threat, as such products can cause long-term damage to major organs including the liver, kidneys and nervous system, and even lead to organ failure.
“Many people are deceived into buying these products, which are sold openly and often display fake holograms to appear legitimate,” he explained. “For example, one brand of medicated oil was found to be unregistered after being checked via the PharmaChecker mobile app.”
The minister highlighted five categories of illegal medicines currently circulating: counterfeit drugs, unregistered medicines, those containing scheduled poisons, illegally imported products, and items manufactured without compliance to regulatory standards.
He said the ministry is intensifying its crackdown on such products through a dual strategy of public education and regulatory enforcement.
The TOBaTS roadshow, currently in Selangor, will be expanded nationwide as part of this initiative.
“The government is also incurring huge costs every year to treat complications caused by these illegal medicines. For instance, treating a single chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient can exceed RM5,000 annually. It's far better to prevent than to cure,” he said.
Dzulkefly urged the public and the media to actively spread awareness and report suspicious products. He also encouraged the use of tools like the PharmaChecker app to verify the legitimacy of medicines.
“This is not the Health Ministry’s responsibility alone. Safeguarding public health is a shared duty because the health of our people is a national asset,” he added. - May 3, 2025
