Mma Sale Of Self Test Kits Should Be Regulated Not Sold At Grocery Stores

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The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the Health Ministry to ensure the responsible sale of the Covid-19 self-test kits by sticking to its original policy of only allowing healthcare facilities and pharmacies to sell the kits.
“While the aim is to encourage the use of self-test kits to test for Covid-19, we should be mindful that the self-test kits are medical devices and therefore it is imperative that the sale of such items be controlled and strictly regulated.
“We urge the Health Ministry to revert to its original policy of only allowing healthcare facilities and pharmacies to sell the self-test kits to ensure responsible sale of these medical devices.
“After all, there are more than 10,000 pharmacies and healthcare facilities nationwide, which is already easily accessible to the community,” said MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy in a statement today.

The self-test kits go through stringent checks by the Medical Devices Authority (MDA) before they are approved for use, he said, and once available in the market, authorised sellers must ensure their responsible sale.
For example, he said, the kits cannot be sold if the packaging has been tampered with or opened, as this will contaminate the kits.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had yesterday said the government intends to liberalise the sale of the test kits so consumers can soon purchase the product outside pharmacies and health facilities, including at grocery stores.

Subramaniam said if the test kits are sold in grocery stores, there may not be proper handling of the product and it will also make it more difficult for authorities to monitor and regulate the sale of the kits.
Those selling the kits also need to be properly trained to guide consumers when more information on using the kits is required, he added.
Another concern from MMA is that this move may lead to the widespread commercialisation of self-test kits and issues such as fake, pirated, contaminated or even recycled kits.
Aside from reverting to its original policy on the sale of the test kits, Subramaniam suggested the government can look into pooled procurement of the test kits.



This way, the government can enjoy the maximum reduction in pricing and these kits can then be given for free to the low-income group classified under B40, or partly subsidised for all through a special programme, he said. - Mkini

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