In a statement today, MMA said it was deeply concerned with the health ministry’s decision to expand the sale of Covid-19 self-test kits beyond pharmacies and healthcare facilities, as it could lead to widespread commercialisation of the devices, and give rise to other issues such as fake, pirated, contaminated or even recycled kits.

“While the aim is to encourage the use of self-test kits, we should be mindful that these are medical devices.

“Therefore, it is imperative that the sale of such items be controlled and strictly regulated,” said MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy.

In an interview with members of the media yesterday, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the purchase of self-test kits will be liberalised so that consumers may purchase them from grocery stores for example, instead of just pharmacies and healthcare facilities.

Subramaniam said self-test kits go through stringent checks by the Medical Device Authority (MDA) before they are approved for use.

“Once they are available in the market, authorised sellers must ensure responsible sale of the self-test kits.”

Subramaniam feared that test kits may not be handled properly if they are sold in grocery stores, adding that doing so would also make it more difficult for the authorities to monitor and regulate their sale.

He also said the self-test kits cannot be sold if their packaging has been tampered with or opened as it would contaminate the kits, stressing that those selling the self-test kits need to be properly trained to guide consumers who require more information on how to use them.