Medicines, including vitamins and health supplements, can only be brought into Malaysia on their own account. In Malaysia, dietary supplements are subject to a 5% sales and service tax. In Malaysia, health supplements are regulated under the category of medicinal products requiring registration. The Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association (MADSA) held its 10th annual general meeting on 30 June and elected a new board, with Steven Chin of Herbalife elected chairman, while Dean Lee of local company B-Crobes became vice-chairman.
To develop an effective marketing and business strategy in Malaysia, it is important to understand the country’s regulatory framework for health supplements. Companies must ensure that health supplements do not contain any of the banned ingredients when formulating health supplement products for Malaysia. Only licensed manufacturers and importers of pharmaceutical, traditional medicine and health supplement products can acquire the labels. Cosmetic set Dog supplies Sandalwood tea Adult toys Vitamins and supplements Personal massager Health and beauty supplements Health and beauty supplements Supplements in capsules Women’s food supplement – sugar-free and fat-free Powders Pain relief Hair care and beauty and shaving Safety razor blades Electronic health items Body wash.
However, Pereira said the rule was contradictory as foreign legislations referred to by Malaysian authorities, including Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Health Canada, have allowed such combinations. It may be classified as a dietary supplement or traditional medicine, depending on the type and dosage of ingredients in the formulation. A dietary supplement is any product that is used to supplement a diet and to maintain, enhance and improve the health function of the human body. These products include a variety of so-called health products, which are for the maintenance, prevention and even treatment of chronic diseases.
Being regulated under the pharmaceutical category in Malaysia, dietary supplements have to comply with the general safety and quality requirements of a pharmaceutical product. Health supplement products are regulated as pharmaceutical products in Malaysia by the Medicines Control Authority (DCA). The council has identified a number of key priorities to promote the dietary supplement sector in the country, James Pereira, director general of MADSA, told NutraIngredients-Asia. Moreover, MADSA expects the authorities to ease current restrictions on innovative dietary supplements, such as those containing vitamins and herbs.
The main categories that fall under health and medicinal foods are health supplements and food-drug interface products, according to the Guidance Document for Medicines Registration issued by the NPCB.
