Dengue Vaccine in Malaysia by mid-2015?

The Malaysian Health Ministry will have another ammunition in its arsenal to fight dengue in the form of a French-made vaccine expected to be available in the country by mid-2015.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the vaccine would be made available not only in Malaysia, but also in the ASEAN region.

"In Malaysia, the vaccine will be available for free to the public," he said.

Over the past one year until yesterday, 16,444 dengue cases with 44 deaths were recorded compared to 1,329 cases with 16 deaths in the previous corresponding period.

Selangor recorded the highest number of cases followed by Perak.

/theSTAR 12-02-2015

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KL ranked 9 out of 100 cities globally for international tourists arrivals

Kuala Lumpur is ranked 9th out of the world's 100 leading cities for international tourists arrivals according to Euromonitor International's Top City Destinations Ranking

Speaking at the launch of KL Tourism's #IAMKL e-newsletter and digital media campaign, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib said that 11.2 million international tourists visited Kuala Lumpur in 2013, reflecting the importance of KL to global tourism, in terms of business and leisure.

Ahmad Phesal estimated that Kuala Lumpur expects approximately 12.3 million foreign visitors for 2015 alongside 3 million domestic tourists.

During his speech, he stressed the need for the city's various organisations to collaborate with one another in ensuring KL Tourism's Master Plan 2015-2025 will achieve maximum success.

"In particular digital media will prove to be the crux from which we ought to expand forth. Ignoring this will only lead to our detriment," said Ahmad Phesal who said that the trend of taking selfies could be advantageous to the Master Plan.

/theSUN 05-02-2015

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GST: "Zero-rated" for all Medicines?

Malaysia will be implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) wef 1st April 2015.

The GST is a consumption tax which supersedes the existing Sales and Service Tax (SST). Currently, the SST is 10% and GST will be 6%

Theoretically, and simplistically, existing goods which are currently taxed at 10% will be "cheaper" to the consumers when the GST, which is at 6% kicks-in.

However, all is not that simple. The critics and consumers are bracing for higher products and services pricings effective 1st April 2015

As for the pharmaceuticals, prices will be expected to increase as these products are "not taxed" prior to GST implementation. Realising this, the Government had decided to have medicines listed under the National Essential Drug List (NEML) be "zero-rated".

However, under the NEML List only about 320 chemical entities are "zero-rated" which translates into, about 4,500 registered brand names or medicines in the language of the lay person, as these chemical entities are manufactured by different manufacturers with various brand names. For example, Paracetamol, is counted as 17 brands or medicines instead as one medicine.

In fact, the NEML (4th Edition) List, which are "zero-rated", represents only about 10% of the total 43,000 registered medicines in Malaysia. The majority of these "zero-rated" medicines are prescribed in the Government hospitals. The medicines outside the NEML List are widely prescribed and used in the private sector ie private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, which are paid-out-of-pocket expenses by the patients.

This being the case, if these medicines are not "zero-rated", any price increase for these medicines will increase the financial burden and hardship, and possibly make them unaffordable to patients who are on long term therapy.

The Pharmaceutical Industry Associations together with Professional Bodies, like the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) are working together to seek the support of the Ministry of Finance to have all pharmaceuticals (medicines) "zero-rated" for the benefit and welfare of the patients.

 

/05-02-2015

 

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Dengue cases Update for 2015

Malaysia has recorded a remarkable increase in the number of dengue cases, in the first three weeks of 2015 as compared to the corresponding period of last year.

According to a statement released by the Minister of Health Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, for the first three weeks of 2015, the number of dengue cases reported nationwide was 8,502, an increase of 65% from 5,141 cases reported during the same period last year.

"One of the reasons for the rise in the number of cases and deaths is the dengue serotype shift that happened in August last year, where there was a shift in the dominant serotype from DEN 2 to DEN 1," said Subramaniam.

"Besides the serotype shift, other factors contributing to the increase in the number of dengue cases were environmental factors, uncontrolled human movements (especially those carrying the virus), the weather and the unhealthy human behaviour.

The Health Ministry said medical practitioners at private clinics and hospitals are not able to detect symptoms of dengue on 99 percent of patients during their first visit.

Subramaniam said the Health Ministry viewed the statistics seriously because early detection was important to tackle a drastic increase in the number of dengue cases.

Subramaniam said the ministry wants the procedures to detect dengue cases be enhanced by using the Combo Rapid Test Kit.  "I hope private hospitals can be equipped with the kit and used for early detection. It does not matter if four kits were used but only one case detected." He hoped private medical practitioners would view dengue as a serious menace and use the Combo Rapid Test Kit as well as stock up enough supply.

"The increase in the number of cases and deaths by dengue must be taken seriously.

/theSUN, Bernama 28-01-2015

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Learning about the Pharmaceutical business

A quick and short remark to the question "we need to expose our students to the practice and business of the pharmaceutical Industry in the private sector. Where do I send to?"

Many people have the impression that, in Malaysia, the "big pharma boys" are the right place to go to.

Who are the "big pharma boys"? They are normally refer to, for example, GSK, Pfizer, Norvatis, Sanofi, Abbotts, Roche, Eisai ... just to name a few. Their basic operation in Malaysia, as far as I understand, is very focussed and thus confined to Regulatory, Sales and Marketing functions, which are only part of the total value chain in the pharmaceutical business.

The fact is the total business value chain, end to end, is performed by the distributors, from the point of entry into Malaysia, custom clearance of goods, product regulatory services, warehousing, inventory management, invoicing of goods purchased, credit control, logistics management, transportation of products, extension of credit terms to the customers viz: prescribers, pharmacies, hospitals and the wholesalers ... even sales and marketing ... though not exhaustive ...

The distributors have to ensure that they meet with legal requirements in their performance of services, in collaboration with the "big pharma boys" who outsourced the warehousing and distribution services to them.

Thus the "big pharma boys", in Malaysia, are thus only a part of the total value chain.

Therefore to appreciate and to understand the pharmaceutical business, broadly and in a wholesome manner, the distributors are the obvious place to go. And, attachment with the "big pharma boys", is the way to go for sharpening of knowledge and in-depth skill sets acquisitions for Regulatory, Sales & Marketing activities.

/30-01-2015

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Established Pharmaceuticals?

I was amused when I read "established pharmaceuticals". The person handed me his business card when I was introduced to him in an Industry function.

I enquired "what is this established pharmaceutical"?

The reply was "it is an off-patented innovator molecule". Hmmm ... very innovative way of saying that "it is a generic product".

He was from a R&D innovator Company and many of the Company's products had lost their patents and thus joined "thousands of other generics" in  the crowded prescription market. In order to differentiate, and for branding purposes and market share, the term "established pharmaceuticals"  was coined.

Marketers create this space to shut out other similar generic molecules in order to create a perception of different quality and of the less "elite" generis. Prescribers were told "established pharmaceuticals" are still the "originals", and thus of choice, but at lower pricings!

The term "branded generic" is still being used. However, the argument is that other generic manufacturers use the term "branded generics" as well, as their generics are also branded because of brand value creation by these manufacturers. Thus there is a need for a new term to differentiate the "original innovator products that had gone generics" according to the innovator Company.

What about "innovator generic or proprietary generics"? Why not continue to use these terms instead of "established pharmaceuticals"?

My conclusion is to "leave this to the marketer" who will confuse the market and the prescribers in order to protect and even to increase their turf size !

/29-01-2015

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ODD = Overcome, Drive and Deliver!

I participated in a meeting where the leader was reviewing the Company's past performance and her desire, to lead her Team to a better 2015.

She anticipated the year ahead to be very challenging but not insurmountable.

She shared here Vision and the need for the Team to be tenacious in overcoming issues and obstacles, real or otherwise, in order to drive the set objectives and to achieve same.

2015, even before it arrived, had been preceded with gloomy events like the "weak Malaysian Ringgit against major foreign currencies, expected low consumer demand for goods and services upon GST implementation on 1st April 2015, expected lower GDP etc" which are not conducive for business growth.

Thus, it is not easy, but, a positive mind, the right attitude and the right mind-set which will definitely be the assets to drive forward.

Someone had said "to know the future is to create the future". In reality we do not know, and can't exactly know the future. However, we can help to create the future by influencing and implementing a clear execution plan, at least to get closer, if not "reached", the "desired" future.

The Team needs to embrace and work on the said objectives for the Year. They must overcome issues and obstacles that pose challenges to the objectives. The Team must find solutions and not lose sight nor deviate from its set targets! Stay focus!

Once the solutions are found, the Team must work on the solutions in order to drive forward and, surely, delivering results.

Thus, we came out with the acronym "ODD" for the Team to focus in order to scale greater altitude to reach the summit, which is the set objectives!

The eyes must always be on the ball! FOCUS!

ODD = Overcome, Drive, Deliver !

/29-01-2015

Disclaimer: Views or opinions expressed are solely those of the Author and should be used with discretion. The Author shall not be held liable for any acts or omissions arising from the use of the information. The user will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising hereof.

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