COVID-19: Buy only MDA approved self-test kits, MMA tells public

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Medical Association (MMA) urged the public only to purchase COVID-19 saliva self-test kits that are approved by the Medical Device Authority (MDA), and buy from authorised sellers.

MMA president, Prof Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy, said the public must ensure to check the approved list of self-test kits on the MDA website before making a purchase, to avoid fake products that could cause health risks due to compromised quality or even recycled test kits.

He added that it is crucial for the public to follow the strict instructions on test kits to obtain an accurate result, as well as to ensure that the test kits are properly disposed of after use, to prevent the spread of infection.

"MMA also agrees with the Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) that stricter regulations on the sale of COVID-19 self-test kits are needed, as unauthorised sellers have been advertising and selling self-test kits direct to consumers online on social media platforms.

"Some of these sellers are even claiming their self-test kits have an accuracy of 99 per cent without disclosing the brand of their product, which is indeed worrying as the public can be easily duped into purchasing self-test kits that are fake, or kits with compromised quality," he said in a statement today.

Dr Subramaniam also urged the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to work closely with the Medical Device Authority (MDA) and the police, to monitor the sale of COVID-19 self-test kits, including investigating claims of unapproved or fake self-test kits on the market.

On Aug 11, the Health Ministry released a full list of brands of COVID-19 self-test kits that have been granted conditional approval for public use.

-- BERNAMA