Some 70,000 medical devices to be registered in next two years, says Subramaniam

The Star
Published: Tuesday July 2, 2013 MYT 1:33:00 PM 
Updated: Tuesday July 2, 2013 MYT 6:40:16 PM

By LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: More than 70,000 medical devices will be registered in the next two years following the implementation of the Medical Device Act 2012 and its regulations which came into operation July 1.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said that the Ministry had been burdened with the amount of technology coming in and decided to get the devices registered to ensure their efficacy and safety.

"We have started to undertake this mammoth task of registering 70,000-odd medical devices over the next two years so that they are scientifically proven to be effective and safe, and suitable for medical practitioners to use them," he said in a press conference after launching the APHM International Healthcare Conference and Exhibition 2013 on Tuesday.

Dr Subramaniam said that this was to protect medical practitioners from being bombarded with non-verified technology.

There was also concern that some of these devices were the result of cross-border dumping, he said.