Malaysian Pharmacists Lead the Charge: Tackling Vaping and Ensuring Health Access in Malaysia
By Edeline Anne Goh
3min read
In the face of growing public health challenges, pharmacists in Malaysia are stepping up, not just as dispensers of medicine, but as powerful advocates for change.
This year’s National Pharmacists Convention (NPC) 2025, organised by the Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS), marked a turning point in how the pharmacy profession confronts two urgent national issues: the rise of vaping among youth and the need for greater transparency in drug pricing.
Confronting the Vaping Epidemic in Malaysia
Vaping in Malaysia has reached alarming levels. According to recent data, 14.9% of Malaysian adolescents are active e-cigarette users, with many starting before the age of 14. This worrying trend is fuelled by aggressive marketing, flavoured nicotine products, and lack of regulation.
At NPC 2025, MPS launched its National Declaration Against Vape and Smoking, a bold move to unite pharmacists in a nationwide stance against nicotine addiction.
“The myth of vaping as a ‘safer alternative’ is dangerous and unethical.”
MPS President Hon. Prof Amrahi Buang
The declaration outlines six key commitments, including:
Rejecting all vape and tobacco-related harm
Supporting the Tobacco Endgame and GEG legislation
Expanding smoking cessation services via mQuit
Advocating for vape-free public spaces
Educating youth and parents
Reporting unethical or illegal vape sales
This positions pharmacists as frontline protectors of public health, leading education, intervention, and policy advocacy efforts nationwide.
Ensuring Affordable Medicines Through MKHU
Beyond the vaping issue, NPC 2025 also highlighted a major healthcare reform: the Mekanisme Ketelusan Harga Ubat (MKHU), a national initiative now fully enforced across Malaysia’s private healthcare sector. MKHU requires transparent medicine pricing, enabling patients to make informed decisions about their treatment costs.
YB Puan Alice Lau, Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, who officiated the convention, called MKHU “a return to trust.”
“No longer will patients be left in the dark. Informed patients are empowered patients,”
said YB Alice Lau.
Pharmacists play a central role in this reform, ensuring price lists are updated, visible, and accurate. This strengthens their position as the bridge between access and ethics, helping reduce financial barriers to essential medicines.
Pharmacists: More Than Medication Experts
The 2025 convention’s theme, “Pharmacy United: Advancing Healthcare through Innovation, Collaboration & Resilience,” reflects how the profession is evolving. From AI in pharmacy to integrated care models and digital prescribing, NPC 2025 showcased how pharmacists are becoming:
Educators and health counsellors
Policy advocates
Leaders in smoking cessation and chronic disease management
Innovators in digital health
MPS also reaffirmed its alignment with regional efforts, such as the ASEAN Declaration on Drug Security and Self-Reliance, calling for local pharmaceutical resilience and equitable medicine access across the region.
A Call to Action
The vaping epidemic and the need for drug price transparency are not isolated issues; they are part of a larger conversation about health equity and national wellbeing. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.
“Pharmacy is not just a profession. It’s a promise,”
YB Alice Lau reminded attendees.
As Malaysia moves forward with healthcare reforms, collaboration across public and private sectors will be essential. Pharmacists must be supported with the training, funding, and authority to deliver on their expanding roles.
Whether it’s protecting youth from harmful vape products, championing transparency in drug pricing, or providing trusted healthcare advice, Malaysian pharmacists are at the forefront of a healthier, more accountable future.
If you’re a parent, patient, or policymaker, start the conversation with your local pharmacist. They’re not just behind the counter; they’re leading the change!
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