The Health Ministry (MOH) is considering implementing compulsory licensing (CL) for certain types of medicines other than Remdesivir to ensure the people have access to medication at affordable prices, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

In winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's royal address, for his ministry, Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the move was the best way to ensure the prices of medicine to treat a number of diseases was affordable.

"(However) this matter needs to be brought to the Cabinet Meeting (to get approval)... we must implement CL for certain drugs that are so expensive (such as the antiviral drug Remdesivir)," he said in response to Charles Anthony Santiago (PH-Klang).

Charles asked whether the government planned to use CL for other medicines because the people, especially the poor, could not afford to buy medicine by citing Remdesivir as an example, to treat a COVID-19 patient would cost RM10,000 to RM15,000.

Commenting further, Dr Adham said currently Malaysia does not implement CL for Remdesivir as a treatment protocol for COVID-19 but only for medicines to treat Hepatitis C.

"We have a CL (for medicine to treat Hepatitis C) until this October and are trying to extend (the CL period) for this drug," he said.

-- BERNAMA