KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) has expressed strong support for the recent collaborative initiative led by the Prime Minister, the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL), and the Health Ministry to bolster transparency in drug pricing.
Its president, Prof Amrahi Buang, said the initiative fosters a collaborative healthcare ecosystem, strengthening the partnership among pharmacists, insurance providers, and patients.
He said that this collaboration will ultimately improve public health and contribute to managing the cost of living.
"This initiative aims to empower the public by providing transparent pricing information, enabling informed choices, and giving individuals control over their health and cost of living.
"Pharmacists and community pharmacies have long provided patients with clear and concise information about medication costs. "This enduring commitment underscores the importance of accessibility and transparency in healthcare, further reinforcing society's stand to empower patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare," he added.
Amrahi said that transparent and accessible pricing information for medicines enables patients to easily assess costs, compare options, and manage healthcare expenses efficiently.
"This is consistent with Pillar 3 of the Health White Paper for Malaysia which is to ensure the population receives comprehensive services that are affordable."
He also said that the patients need to be empowered to know the medications they have been prescribed."We continue to ask for the implementation of mandatory prescription writing so that patients will
have a written record of the medications prescribed."Ultimately, we believe that the government urgently needs to put a national health financing scheme in place that brings both the government and private healthcare sectors together to provide the best possible healthcare to the public with the most effective use of resources available."