KUALA LUMPUR (March 11): The Health Ministry has implemented a three-year contract for medicine procurement as a measure to sustain current medicine prices, according to Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.

Lukanisman said this move will offer advantages such as a consistent and stabilised medicine price for the government over the three-year period.

"This will also eliminate the need for frequent tender advertising expenses, allow for more efficient contract monitoring, and prevent any interruptions in the supply or service in case of a new tender process," he said in response to Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) during the oral question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat on Monday.

Lukanisman also pointed out the ongoing collaborative medicine procurement efforts with teaching hospitals under the Higher Education Ministry and Defence Ministry. This initiative resulted in an estimated government savings of RM179.6 million from 2020 to 2022.

Lukanisman noted that medicine prices are influenced by various economic factors, including foreign currency exchange rates, research and development costs, and manufacturing issues.

However, he assured that subsidies for medicines at all Health Ministry health facilities are maintained to prevent patients from being burdened by any increase in the cost of medicine.

For patients seeking treatment at private health facilities, he said, the Health Ministry provides consumer guide prices to assist citizens in obtaining price information and making informed comparisons.

Additionally, Lukanisman said the Health Ministry is considering a drug price transparency initiative, requiring identified private health facilities to display drug prices, aiming to enhance access to competitively priced medications, enabling informed choices based on individual capacities, with the displayed prices shared on a public portal for easier comparison.