Dear Fellow Pharmacists,

On 9th May 2016, about 120 representatives from organisations representing pharmacists, doctors, consumers etc attended the RUUF Briefing to Stakeholders chaired by DG (Director-General) of Health in Ministry of Health, Putrajaya.

Representatives from MPS, MCPG, PhAMA, MOPI and MAPS had actively engage with Pharmaceutical Services Division, Ministry of Health in the past decades and especially on RUUF. It is very disheartening seeing our feedback during RUUF discussion with PEMANDU have all been disregarded.

1. RUUF is an amalgamation of the following acts,
   1. Registration of Pharmacists Act 1951
   2. Poisons Act 1952
   3. Sale of Drugs Act 1952
   4. Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act 1956
   5. Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 remain unchanged
2. Power Chart under RUUF
   1. Majlis Farmasi Malaysia (MFM) - to regulate our profession
   2. Pihak Berkuasa Berwibawa (PBB) - to regulate products
   3. Pegawai Pelesenan - to manage products
3. Regulation of profession
   1. Juruteknologi Farmasi (JF) will be regulated by RUUF
      1. Ex-officio of JF will be a member of MFM
      2. They can work under supervision of pharmacists or doctors
   1. MFM (Malaysian Pharmacy Council)
      1. Headed by DG of Health
      2. Consists of (all to be appointed by Minister of Health)
         1. 11 public sector pharmacists
         2. 8 private sector pharmacists
         3. Ex-officio of JF
4. Regulation of products
   1. Classification of Medications
      1. POM (Prescription Only Medicines)
      2. PM (Pharmacy Medicines)
      3. GSL (General Sales List) - including traditional products
      4. High-Claims Natural Products
   2. Price Control
      1. RUUF will control drug prices
   3. Itemised Billing
      1. All healthcare facilities must issue itemised billing
5. Product Management
   1. Clinical Trial License
      1. Conduct of Clinical Trial License
      2. Investigation of Products
   2. Supply of POM (including psychotropic products) and PM
      1. Pharmacists: Supply in accordance to prescription
      2. Doctors: Supply for own patient only
   3. Prescription
      
      1. It is NOT mandatory to issue prescription to patients
      2. It shall be done upon patient's request
   4. Compounding
      1. Both pharmacists and doctors can perform compounding of medications
      2. The only exception is psychotropics substances which can only be compounded by pharmacists
6. Enforcement
   1. Penalty
      1. Technical errors: No minimum penalty shall be set
      2. Criminal errors: Minimum penalty shall be set

What are the implications to the public?

1. Prescription
   1. Without a prescription, patient's health is compromised.
   2. Patient do not know what has been prescribed to them.
2. Supply of POM and PM aka Dispensing
   1. Only well-trained and competent professional shall carry out this duty.
   2. Dispensing is a professional duty of pharmacist.
3. Compounding
   1. Only competent professional shall perform compounding.

What should you do now?

SIGN this petition!