PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) strongly opposes a recent circular mandating doctors to prescribe long-term medications by active ingredient only, as such a “generic-only” policy risks compromising patient rights and medical ethics.
Its president Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo said doctors support using quality-assured generics to improve affordability and access, but medical judgment must never be dictated by corporate policy.
“Doctors are guided by the Malaysian Medical Council’s Code of Professional Conduct, which states clearly that a doctor’s clinical judgment must never be overridden by corporate policy.
“Formularies may serve as guidance, but they cannot dictate care,” he said in a statement on Friday (Sept 26).
He cautioned that requiring doctors to prescribe only by active ingredient effectively shifts control of treatment from doctors to corporate payers.
This, he said, opens the door to procurement-driven decisions where specific generic brands are pre-selected based on commercial arrangements rather than patient need.
MMA also stressed that patients have the right to informed choice, especially in cases involving narrow therapeutic index medicines or drug intolerance, where specific brands may be clinically necessary.
It warned that if commercial interests continue to override clinical judgment, it would erode the foundation of trust in healthcare.
“At stake is more than cost containment.
“It is the integrity of the medical practice and the trust Malaysians place in their doctors.
“That trust must never be compromised,” said Dr Thirunavukarasu.
MMA also called on the government to urgently regulate third-party administrators and managed care organisations under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998, instead of allowing them to interfere in medical decision-making.