Return unused medicine to avoid wastage - Health Minister

The Health Minister assured that the unused medicine, either in sachet or packet, were safe and it would be the discretion of the pharmacists to ensure how the medicine can be used.

"Medicine in packets that are not opened and not expired are safe. There is no safety issue… how to use it will be the discretion of the pharmacists," he said at a media conference here Wednesday.

Dr Subramaniam also urged patients to bring along their unused prescribed medicine during their appointment to assist the doctors to review their prescription and give them the additional medication accordingly.

On how unused medicine could be piled up at home, he cited an example when a diabetic patient was given three months diabetic medicine but did not finish it and was given another three months’ supply when attending the next appointment.

"The patient can bring the medicine back and show it to the doctor so that the doctor can adjust the amount (medicine) according to what he has. We can save some money through this kind of process. This will also help the government to prevent wastage," he said.

Dr Subramaniam also said the was an increase of outpatients in the government hospitals and clinic by eight percent, from 28 million outpatients last year to 31.4 million, for the first five months of this year.

"Following the economic slowdown, they switch from private to public hospitals and clinics. This is a dynamic thing. We must therefore be prudent and avoid wastage," he said.