PUTRAJAYA – Malaysia is not facing a shortage of human insulin, and current supply is sufficient until the end of the year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
Dismissing claims of “crisis”, he said the ministry has alternatives and is working on getting other suppliers, Bernama reported him saying at the MIH Megatrends 2024 MoU signing here this morning.
Delivery of new supplies of human insulin will be fast-tracked, he added.
“We’ll go on a fast track on this, 60 days, as opposed to a few months originally.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is no patient not having or not getting the prescribed human insulin.”
Last week, the ministry clarified that the recent disruption in the supply of human insulin at its local facilities was caused by production issues.
To ensure uninterrupted treatment of patients, it has implemented measures such as increasing the use of analog insulin and oral therapies, as determined by the clinical assessments of physicians treating patients.
Dzulkefly said the issue arose because one of the ministry’s suppliers had failed a “contractual obligation”.
He said the ministry is currently in talks with the supplier, based in Johor, and with its principal in India, called Biocon.
“We are in communication with the Indian principal, Biocon. So they must (provide) supply whether it is coming locally or (from) overseas. Whatever it is, we don’t want this shortage to affect patient care. If truly there is a shortage, then I have not heard about it for now,” he said.
Dzulkefly added, interested overseas suppliers would need to submit their dossiers to the Health Ministry and it would expedite the registration process through the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency. – August 26, 2024