PUTRAJAYA, June 18 — The pile of toxic drugs abandoned on the roadside in Hutan Simpan Ulu Gombak, Selangor, reported by a local newspaper yesterday was not from the Health Ministry’s facilities.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said all ministry facilities, such as hospitals and clinics, disposed of medicines in accordance with guidelines set by Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd or hospital support services, Radicare.

“Companies or medical licensees are constantly reminded to adhere to the guidelines and principles of the existing laws,” he said in a statement here today.

According to the newspaper report, the issue of a pile of expired drugs was reported on Dec 10, last year, and the responsible parties were found not to have completely removed thousands of boxes of these drugs.

Dr Noor Hisham said, following the latest report yesterday, the Ministry of Health went to the site with representatives from the Department of Environment (DOE) and residents of an Orang Asli village in Kampung Batu 16, Gombak.

“Findings showed the reported location was different from the earlier  location where a pile of medicines was reported (by the same newspaper) to have been found on Dec 10, last year. In fact, the pile of medicines in the earlier location has been cleared,” he said.

“The drug company concerned has since taken steps to ensure this does not happen again,” he said.

People can share information if there is any such discoveries by contacting the Pharmaceutical Services Division at 03-78413200 or moh.spab.gov.my web site or contact the DOE directly.

Commenting on the sales of unregistered and toxic medicines on the market, Dr Noor Hisham said that since 2014 until May 2016, the ministry had inspected 43,195 premises selling drugs and health products in 3,370 raids with seized items worth an estimated RM77.1 million.

“The ministry’s Pharmaceutical Services Division will continue to monitor unlicensed premises such as herbal medicine outlets and beauty products shops,” he said.

Complaints on individuals or premises selling unregistered drugs on the market or online may be made to the Pharmaceutical Services Division at 03-78413200 or at the website moh.spab.gov.my.

Dr Noor Hisham said consumers could also check the registration status of health products at www.pharmacy.gov.my or www.bpfk.gov.my, as well as through the Facebook ‘Select Registered Medicines’ (Pilih Ubat Berdaftar). — Bernama