KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 – Generic drugs are safe and have proven efficacy, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

“We have a generics-first policy. I am relieved that the National Heart Institute has explained its approach to generic drugs.

“Generic drugs are used around the world. There are no doubts about their safety and efficacy as they have undergone bioequivalency tests,” he said in Parliament during his winding-up speech on the Supply Bill 2025 on Tuesday (Nov 12).

Dzulkefly said the use of generic drugs results in huge savings.

Dr Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching) had asked Dzulkelfy if hospitals, especially IJN, had been instructed to switch from innovator to generic drugs.

In a Nov 11 report, IJN chairman Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah told The Star that generic drugs prescribed for heart patients, which are covered by the government, are as safe and effective as branded drugs, adding that the hospital was simply complying to a government circular.

He said there should be no cause for concern as generic drugs are approved by international regulatory bodies like the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), as well as the local National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).

He said generic drugs usually cost less but crucially have the same active-ingredient formula as brand-name varieties.

The former Health director-general explained that all generic drugs go through bio-equivalence studies.

This is where two drugs or two sets of formulations of the same drug are compared to show it has nearly equal bio-availability and PK/PD (pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics) parameters.

Government patients referred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) will be administered generic drugs used in the Health Ministry’s Medicines Formulary (MOHMF).

The policy is an administrative reference to control and encourage dispensing of medicines in a rational manner while maintaining quality.

The Health Ministry had previously said the government would foot the cost of treatment at the heart centre for patients who are covered and subsidise others unable to afford it.