The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is anxious over the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) on healthcare services in Malaysia.
MMA president Datuk Dr N.K.S. Tharmaseelan (picture) said an agreement could see the potential increase in the cost of medicines and healthcare services.
“Many countries now use generic drugs to treat diseases as effectively as patent drugs. This has brought down the cost of medication and health care,” said Dr Tharmaseelan.
“But with the TPPA, intellectual property provisions could be an issue as the production and importation of generic drugs will be deemed illegal until a certain period.”