Pharmacies urged to clarify measures
By Rosli Abidin Yahya 

Local pharmacies are still not saying whether they would give cash refunds to customers who wanted to return the recalled Pan Pharmaceuticals products which had been ordered off the shelves by the Ministry of Health for serious manufacturing breaches. Consumers were hoping that the Ministry of Health could issue a strong statement stating that consumers had the right to return the recalled products and get their monies back.

"It is just not fair that we should incur losses as a result of the products being asked to be removed from the shelves," said one customer.

"When we called the pharmacies they kept on saying that they were still waiting for the latest advice from the Ministry of Heath."

Last Wednesday the Borneo Bulletin reported that the Ministry of Health had updated the list of affected brands.

A retailer subsequently stated they would return the recalled products to its suppliers.

One shop attendant said that the Ministry of Health will check all the products first, after which it would start selling only the pharmaceutical products that were not affected.

The retailer also stated that it would only allow exchange of affected products with other merchandise of the same value.

Meanwhile, consumers who purchased the recalled products at Guardian Pharmacy are advised to go to its branches with the affected products today and Monday.

A shop attendant at the Guardian Pharmacy said that customers would be advised by their pharmacists on the next step of action.

The branches of Guardian Pharmacy in Malaysia meanwhile required customers to produce receipts of purchases. If the products were already opened or used, they would be asked to write their names in a record book so that they could be contacted by the manufacturer for a refund.

Courtesy of Sunday Bulletin