KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 12): The government will fully enforce the mandatory display of medicine prices across all private healthcare facilities — including private clinics, aesthetic clinics and community pharmacies — from 2026, as part of efforts to improve public access to drug price information.
Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday that the initiative aims to enable the public to make informed choices by knowing the prices they need to pay and to encourage competitive medicine pricing.
“The MOH will also conduct a capsule medicine monitoring study beginning September 2025 to assess the impact of implementing medicine price transparency,” the ministry said during ministerial question time, in response to Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi’s (Perikatan Nasional-Kuala Langat) question on the policy’s progress and its role in preventing hidden healthcare charges.
“The [monitoring study] findings will be a key reference in formulating more comprehensive policy improvements, particularly in setting and disclosing drug prices in private healthcare facilities, towards creating a transparent, fair and consumer-oriented private pharmacy system,” he added.
The phased medicine price display policy officially took effect on May 1, 2025. The first three months, ended July 31, were designated as an educational enforcement period with no penalties imposed.
According to the deputy minister, preliminary assessments showed that as at July 31, 2025, 55% — or 1,639 — of private healthcare facilities nationwide had satisfactorily complied with the requirement.
“Meanwhile, 45%, or 739 facilities, have yet to meet compliance standards, with issues including incomplete price listings or displays that are not easily accessible to patients,” the ministry said.
He added that the ministry is conducting administrative enforcement, including continuous inspections and monitoring from Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2025.
The MOH added that further measures are needed, including strengthened monitoring, additional guidance sessions and gradual enforcement against non-compliant premises.
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