LEGISLATION ON LABELLING OF DISPENSED MEDICINES

Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing legislation for all dispensed medicines to be labelled.

Mr Howe Yoon Chong: I must thank the Member for Ayer Rajah for his concern over this matter. Legislation already exists to empower my Ministry to make regulations to impose requirements for the labelling of dispensed medicines (LDM). There have been comments, however, that this Government exercises too much unnecessary control and the Ministry of Health felt that perhaps administrative guidance and public insistence can have the same effect as legislation. To take the lead, the Ministry of Health implemented labelling of dispensed medicines in its pharmacies and clinics in 1979. This has benefited both the doctors and patients.

In April 1980, the Ministry publicised the labelling of medicines in the hope that the private sector would follow suit. Both the Singapore Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore supported the move and urged their members to adopt the practice. In reality, probably only a small number of private doctors are practising it, otherwise the Member for Ayer Rajah would not have suggested that we consider legislation for LDM.

He has expressed his concern before that, in spite of Government encouragement, very few private doctors have adopted LDM. All are agreed that there are undoubtedly merits in LDM both to the doctor and his patients. My Ministry believes that sooner or later all doctors in the private sector will voluntarily adopt LDM without the need to enforce Government regulations. My Ministry will share its experience with private medical clinics and pharmacies which are interested in labelling their medicines. But should it come about that in spite of public demand for LDM the doctors in the private sector still will not adopt this practice on their own, then my Ministry will have no option but to bring in new regulations and effect enforcement.