Generic Drugs Ineffective In Lowering Najib S Blood Pressure Court Hears

---

Najib Abdul Razak’s defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has disputed Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s claim that generic medication is sufficient to lower the former prime minister’s blood pressure.
The lawyer also claimed that the ministry had initially wanted to transfer Najib from Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) to the National Heart Institute (IJN).
During the mention of Najib’s RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption case before the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, Shafee made the contention about the generic medicine in response to news reports on Khairy’s statement yesterday. 
The counsel told the court that Najib’s blood pressure only began coming down to normal after the medication was restored to the original medication which he was taking earlier.
“Now, they have restored the medicine he (Najib) is accustomed to, he is seeing his blood pressure come down but it was not satisfactory, (back) to the original blood pressure (reading).
“Even though the switch back to the original medicine is working, he is still not back to normal, testing is still being done,” the lawyer said this afternoon.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak“My client has a history of ulcers, very bad ulcers. Three months ago, he did not realise he was at a critical stage.
“He lost a lot of blood, without knowing the reason. They (medical personnel) checked and found his haemoglobin was so low that he was a walking time bomb.
“He would have developed a stroke, but they managed to stop the situation and he was back to normal.
“But, recently, he complained of pain in the abdominal area and (doctors) found ulcers. When touched, it bleeds.
“Hence, he is being tested to ensure the blood pressure has got nothing to do with that but mere confusion (caused by) the (generic) medicine.
“Even though the medicine is the same, one is original while the other is not (generic).
“Contrary to what was reported in the media, generic medicines can in fact be not as effective as the original medicine,” Shafee claimed.
‘Najib not his cheerful self’
The defence counsel was seeking for the court to vacate the trial scheduled for tomorrow as Najib was still hospitalised at HKL. 
Trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah had allowed it and set for trial to resume on Sept 26.
Yesterday, in response to claims by Najib’s daughter Nooryana Najwa, Khairy countered that the former prime minister’s medication was not changed as the accused was given a generic equivalent medicine, adding that he was in stable condition at HKL.
The minister also said that there was no need for the accused to be transferred from HKL to IJN.
When met by the media after proceedings today, Shafee said Najib “was not his usual cheerful self” when met at HKL.
He said the accused was suffering discomfort and pain, adding that having an ulcer “is the worst feeling”.
Regarding Khairy’s statement that there was no need to send Najib to IJN, Shafee countered that they were initially told by the Health Ministry that the accused would be sent to the institute.
The lawyer claimed that if the health problem was really serious, then Najib needs to see a specialist.
“I do not think he (Khairy) is right. He should look at the Prisons Act,” Shafee told reporters.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin21 charges involving RM2.28b
Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.
He was alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.
On the 21 money laundering charges, Najib was purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.
The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was carried out by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and several others, with Najib’s blessings.
The accused’s defence team, however, claimed the former premier had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and the embezzlement was solely masterminded by Low and other members of the fund’s management.
Both 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd are fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).
Najib also used to be finance minister, chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers, and served as adviser emeritus to SRC International.
He is serving a 12-year jail sentence after the Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed his appeal against the SRC International conviction over seven criminal charges, as well as the custodial term and RM210 million fine in lieu of an additional five years in jail.
Following this, it was reported on Sept 4 that Najib was hospitalised at HKL.
He was then discharged and managed to attend the ongoing RM2.28 billion 1MDB graft trial.
Two days ago on social media, Nooryana raised concerns about her father’s health as he was allegedly discharged from hospital despite new ulcers being purportedly found.
In response, Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah denied the claims by Najib’s family, stating that the former premier was in good health when he was previously discharged. - Mkini

---