00:00Imagine taking medicine to get better, only to find out it was fake.
00:05It may sound unlikely, but the Malaysian Medical Association says
00:09fake and unregistered medicines are a growing public health threat in Malaysia.
00:15MMA President Dr. Tiruna Vukarasu Raju said
00:18the health ministry conducted over 4,000 raids nationwide from 2023 to 2025,
00:25seizing over 108 million ringgit worth of unregistered health products.
00:30The World Health Organization estimates that 10% of medical products in developing countries
00:36are fake or substandard, with the figure rising to 30% in parts of Asia
00:41and nearly 50% in some African regions.
00:45More worrying still, there are reports of unregistered vaccines being smuggled into the country
00:51and used in some clinics.
00:53Tiruna Vukarasu warned that patients who consume unregistered medicines
00:58may face anything from ineffective treatment to serious harm.
01:02Francisco Mendiola, a global traceability expert with the International Tax Stamp Association,
01:09said stronger authentication and track and trace systems are needed
01:13as counterfeit medicines are increasingly sold online.
01:16He said digital systems, which combine physical and digital security features,
01:22could strengthen enforcement and help consumers verify whether products are genuine.
01:28He added that some countries are also extending their digital excise tax track and trace systems
01:34to pharmaceuticals, enabling patients to authenticate and report the discovery of fake medicines instantly
01:41via QR scanning or SMS authentication.
01:45Tiruna Vukarasu urged consumers to check MAL registration numbers
01:49and buy only from licensed pharmacies or registered healthcare facilities.
01:55On your drone FMT.
01:58Bye.
01:58Bye.
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