MDA seizes unregistered medical devices worth RM300,000 in Batu Pahat

BATU PAHAT - The Medical Device Authority (MDA) seized various unregistered and unlicensed medical devices from China worth RM300,000 at a company in the Wawasan Industrial Area, Tanjung Laboh here today.

MDA Intelligence and Operations Unit head Dery Akmal Abdul Rahman said some of the medical devices seized in the 10 am raid were pregnancy test kits, blood lancets (needle pricks for testing blood), medical face masks and first-aid (equipment) which are believed to be sold in pharmacies and clinics.

"After intelligence for six months and complaints from the public, we found that these imported goods are being sold in pharmacies and also distributed to clinics across the country.

"Following this, we will monitor the pharmacies and clinics involved to prevent unregistered medical devices from being distributed without a licence on the market,” he said after the raid.

He said MDA had previously issued warning letters to the company involved in 2018 and last year, but the owner of the company, a man in his 40s, was defiant to comply and continued selling his goods.

He said throughout the raid carried out by 14 MDA enforcement members, the owner of the company had cooperated and there were five employees at the premises, but no arrests were made.

Dery Akmal said the case is being investigated under Section 5(1) and Section 15(1) of the Medical Devices Act (Act 737) for importing or placing medical devices in the market before being registered.

"We don’t actually know the level of risk of these unregistered medical devices because we can’t confirm the status of their efficiency, so we fear that they will be detrimental to users,” he said. - BERNAMA