Kota Kinabalu: A private medical clinic was fined a total of RM7,500 for selling unregistered products to public.
My ClinicPlus Sdn Bhd, pleaded guilty through its director, before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus, to two counts against the company on Friday.
On the first count, the company was fined RM2,500 in default warrant in levy to be issued for selling one unit Laroscorbine Platinum 5ml which was not registered with the Ministry of Health (MOH), at 10.10am on Sept 7, 2023 at the company premise in Luyang Plaza, Lorong Angsa 1, near here.
On the second count, the company was ordered to pay another fine of RM5,000 or warrant in levy to be issued for selling another six units of unregistered products at the same place and time.
Among the six unregistered products were 20 vials of Tationil (Glutatione) 600mg, 16 ampoules of Acqua Per Preparazioni, an ampoule of Glutax 1800000 GS 2ml, 36 vials of Tybar Typhoid Polysaccharide, 14 strips of Imanok Isotretinoin 10mg (15’s), and 20 bottles of Accutane 20 Isotretinoin USP 20mg.
The offence under Regulation 7 (1)(a) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetic Regulations 1984 and punishable under Section 12(2) of the Drug Sales Act 1952 which carries a jail term of up to three years, or a fine of up to RM50,000 or both, on conviction.
In mitigation, counsel Dominic Chew who represented the company, requested for a lower fine to be given saying that it was the company’s first offence, adding that the company has come out with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent the purchase of such items stated in the charges to avoid being on the wrong track in the future.
Chew also informed the court that the company is still operating and promised not to repeat similar offence in the future as they felt remorseful for the offence.
However, Prosecuting Officer Muhammad Nurhalimi Ahmad Azmil from the Pharmacy Department, prosecuting, urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence submitting that the case involved public interest and to give a lesson not only to the company but other traders.
Muhammad told the court that the estimated total value of the seizure of the products was RM30,590.
He further submitted that the seven seized products were confirmed unregistered with the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), lacking evaluation by the Drug Control Authority (DCA), raising concerns about their quality, effectiveness, and safety, which may pose risks and side effects to the public.
Muhammad also told the court that the company was a private medical clinic which was registered under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 and operated by a registered medical practitioner should have not be using unregistered product that can harm public’s health.
