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 \u201cgeneric-only\u201d policy risks compromising patient rights and medical ethics.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“Doctors are guided by the Malaysian Medical Council\u2019s Code of Professional Conduct, which states clearly that a doctor\u2019s clinical judgment must never be overridden by corporate policy.<\/p>\n
“Formularies may serve as guidance, but they cannot dictate care,” he said in a statement on Friday (Sept 26).<\/p>\n
He cautioned that requiring doctors to prescribe only by active ingredient effectively shifts control of treatment from doctors to corporate payers.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
It warned that if commercial interests continue to override clinical judgment, it would erode the foundation of trust in healthcare.<\/p>\n
“At stake is more than cost containment.<\/p>\n
“It is the integrity of the medical practice and the trust Malaysians place in their doctors.<\/p>\n
“That trust must never be compromised,” said Dr Thirunavukarasu.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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