To check if medicines are real, verify their registration status and authenticity. Registered medicines should have a registration number and a genuine hologram sticker. You can verify the registration status on the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) website www.npra.gov.my or by contacting the NPRA. You can also use the Meditag hologram decoder at a nearby pharmacy to check the hologram's authenticity. Additionally, look for signs of tampering on the packaging. Additionally, you can use the NPRA Product Status app on the Google Play Store.
PETALING JAYA: School teacher S. Anandi bought a supplement from an online platform because it was RM20 cheaper than the retail price at a pharmacy.
The supplement turned out to be counterfeit although it looked identical to the original product.
She said the supplement bought online even came with a fake hologram.
She used an app called FarmaChecker which can scan product holograms on health-related products.
The FarmaTag hologram on genuine supplements is a stamp from the Health Ministry as proof that a product has been registered and approved by the local health authorities.
The app Anandi used could not read the hologram sticker on the supplement.
This means the hologram is fake and not approved by the Health Ministry.
“I bought the supplement because it was cheaper online. But upon scanning it, I discovered that the product was fake,” she said.
The online health supplement market is flooded with counterfeit products.
Sellers even create replicas of the hologram, said industry sources.
Despite the Health Ministry having moved from the Meditag to the FarmaTag hologram which has better security features, the sale of counterfeit and illicit pharmaceutical products is showing no sign of slowing down.
“Holograms can be duplicated and we have seen them over the years, even from the Meditag days. Some illegal health product sellers even use a replica of the old Meditag hologram.
“Recently, there is a trend where sellers would mix their own supplement powders and pills. Some of these powders are filled with sugar and that is worrying.
“To the Health Ministry’s credit, it has been carrying out crackdowns on many unregistered and illicit products over the years,” said a source, adding that the illegal trade is still flourishing.
“Many consumers are unaware of an app to check whether the health supplements are genuine or not.
“In fact, some people don’t even bother to check whether the product they have purchased is authentic. They get swayed by claims that it works.
“More awareness and education campaigns should be carried out on the use of holograms and National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) registration numbers.
“Maybe the authorities should think of a new authentication method such as QR code,” the source said.
Consumers can download the NPRA Product Status app to check the status of Pharmaceutical Product Registration and Cosmetic Notification Status.
The Health Ministry used the Meditag hologram supplied by Syarikat Mediharta Sdn Bhd from 2005 until Aug 31, 2019.
The hologram was supplied to manufacturers and importers licensed by the ministry to ensure there was no abuse.
It was later replaced with FarmaTag produced by Syarikat Techno Secure Print Sdn Bhd.
Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild honorary secretary Rachel Gan advised the public to use the FarmaChecker app to check the authenticity of a product if they feel suspicious about it.
“Always buy from legitimate sellers like pharmacies or clinics, instead of unknown sellers on e-commerce platforms,” she added.
Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association president Datuk Dr M. Rajen said there are concerns over the authenticity, safety, shelf life and possible side effects of the supplements sold on online platforms.
“As an industry, we welcome the use of holograms. But there have been concerns on their viability to prevent abuse. Often, while the companies are paying for the holograms, some consumers are unaware about the benefits of the holograms,” he added.
He called for a ban on the sale of health supplements online as what is done for certain medicines.
“You cannot buy your pharmaceuticals online but you can buy your supplements online,” he said, adding that this is a regulation loophole that needs to be looked into.
General practitioner Dr Roland Victor said fake medications or supplements often contain ineffective ingredients that pose a danger to health or unsuitable for local consumption.
“We have seen cases of certain coffee powders being promoted as a natural supplement for men’s health but were found to contain controlled substances like sildenafil, the active ingredient in erectile dysfunction drugs,” he said.
“Sellers of counterfeit supplements may exploit the image of genuine doctors in their advertisements and claim that they are endorsing their products.”- The Star By CHARLES RAMENDRANRAGANANTHINI VETHASALAM
Too good to be true? How to check if the health products you get online are genuine
The hologram sticker has been mandatory in Malaysia since 2005. – Malay Mail photo
KUALA LUMPUR (June 18): With the increasing demand for health supplements, consumers face ever greater risks of unscrupulous vendors using e-commerce to pass off counterfeits as heavily discounted products.
Also riding on the interest in health and wellbeing in the post-Covid 19 era are sellers marketing products catering to this demand, but without the necessary consumer safety and quality controls.
By law, all pharmaceutical products sold in Malaysia, including health supplements and traditional products, must be registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) — an executive body established under the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984 — before being marketed locally.
But how does one determine which are genuine and which are the fake?
Fret not, Malay Mail has prepared this guideline courtesy of the Health Ministry via the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) to help consumers identify a product’s legitimacy.
Verify at first sight
Firstly, registered pharmaceutical and natural products as well as health supplements must bear a security label (hologram) that is visible without having to open the packaging.
First introduced (then known as Meditag) in 2005, these holograms — called FarmaTag as of September 2019 — assist consumers in identifying registered health products visually.
The hologram sticker has been mandatory in Malaysia since 2005. – Malay Mail photo
Security labelling is mandatory as provided under Regulation 8(1) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984, with the hologram production overseen by a single ministry-appointed supplier.
According to the NPRA’s existing guideline, only licensed manufacturers and importers of pharmaceutical, traditional medicine and health supplement products may purchase these labels; while local manufacturer, repacker for products imported in bulk or the importer shall be responsible for affixing the hologram onto the individual unit packs.
This means if a product does not have the hologram, it is likely unregistered, has not passed inspection, or a counterfeit.
Measuring just 8mm by 18mm, the FarmaTag has various security features that can be seen by both consumers and pharmaceutical enforcers to determine the legitimacy of products registered with the Health Ministry.
The hologram contains a QR code and serial number that can be used to verify its authenticity. – Malay Mail photo
Examples of the security feature includes a holographic image depicting two acronyms — PBKD and DCA, which stand for Pihak Berkuasa Kawalan Dadah (the Malay name for the DCA) — a ministry-issued QR Code, a gradient design, and serial and identification numbers.
Consumers can also verify the authenticity of the FarmaTag by using the FarmaChecker mobile application to scan the QR code or type in its serial number.
They can also check the product’s registration number at the NPRA’s official website.
Apart from the hologram, DCA-registered products have another security feature in the form of the registration number printed on its label or package. This starts with MAL followed by eight numbers and ending with the letter T, A, X or N (for example, MAL12345678X).
The letter after the eight numbers denotes the product’s category: controlled medicine or prescription drugs (A), over-the-counter or non-prescription drug (X), traditional medicine (T), or health supplements (N).
The final letter in the registration number identifies that category of the health product. – Malay Mail photo
To ensure compliance, those found selling or supplying any unregistered health products (including failure to implement the hologram) will be in violation of Regulation 7(1)(a) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984.
Upon conviction, individuals face a fine of up to RM25,000 or imprisonment of up to three years or both for their first offence; and a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to five years or both for subsequent offences.
Corporate bodies will face a fine of up to RM50,000 for their first offence and RM100,000 for their subsequent offences.
It pays to be vigilant
The NPRA released in October 2023 an advisory on the risk and dangers consumers face when purchasing health products and supplements online, as the safety, quality and efficacy of such products are unknown.
Such risks are even higher with counterfeit products, which may include contamination with heavy metal elements (mercury, arsenic) and undeclared dosing with controlled substances (sildenafil, sibutramine) that can be life-threatening if consumed without proper medical supervision.
Sildenafil is used to treat men who have erectile dysfunction while sibutramine is a compound widely used in weight loss products.
In reminding consumers to be vigilant and take appropriate measures in purchasing medicine online, NPRA said this was to avoid falling victim to irresponsible and unscrupulous sellers.
For any information or complaints relating to the sale and supply of counterfeit medicines, consumers are advised to do so at the Health Ministry’s Public Complaints Management System (SISPAA) website here or any Pharmacy Enforcement state branches nationwide. – Malay Mail
