Company fined for having unregistered products

KOTA KINABALU: A dermatology company received a hefty fine of RM35,000 from the Sessions Court here yesterday for possessing nine types of unregistered products, including vitamin C injection amounting to RM13,660 three years ago.

Judge Ummu Kalthom Abd Samad imposed the fine on the company after one of its directors pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 30 (1) of the Cosmetics and Drugs Control Regulations 1984.

The indictment provides for a fine of up to RM50,000, upon conviction.

The facts of the case stated that personnel from the pharmacy enforcement came to the premises located at Jalan Pintas on October 18, 2018 and found nine types of products were not registered with the Malaysian Health Department.

The said products were Houns Ascorbic Acid Injec. 500mg/2ml,

Placentax ampoule, two types of Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection ampoules, Adrenaline Hydrochloride Injection ampoule, Cindella Inj., Liporase, Luthione Inj. and Vitamic C Inj.

Investigation also revealed that the company is registered and its license issued by the City Hall.

In mitigation, the unrepresented company through its director prayed for a lenient sentence saying that this was their first offence.

The director also said that during this Covid-19 pandemic, they were having hard times in terms of income and promised not to repeat offence.

According to the director, the company is still in operation and they have no other branch.

In reply, Pharmacy Department prosecuting officer Mad Sapri Tumiran urged the court to impose a heavier sentence on the company to serve as a lesson to the company and would-be offenders in future.

The prosecution pointed out that according to a report from the Malaysian Companies Commission on the said year, the company’s income was RM215,639 allegedly obtained from the said businesses and this company has been in operation since 2012.

The prosecution informed the court that most of the products were kept in the form of pharmaceutical intravena and intramuscular which meant that these products will be injected to human blood vessels without undergoing body defense system.

The prosecution added that this type of work would only be carried out by registered and trained medical practitioners because it involved a very dangerous infusion injection as during the injection it might cause infection directly to human body system.

The court also ordered for all the physical exhibits to be returned to the prosecution for disposal.