Hong Thai inhaler not registered, banned in Malaysia, says Health Ministry
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Selling and possessing the Hong Thai herbal inhalers in Malaysia is an offence.
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PUTRAJAYA – The Hong Thai Inhaler herbal product is not registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) and is banned from sale in Malaysia after a recall in Thailand due to contamination with harmful bacteria.
The Health Ministry announced on Nov 6 that it has taken immediate control measures, including conducting online screenings of the product and blocking links associated with the involved sellers.
“Monitoring and enforcement actions will continue to be carried out against any sellers found offering the product,” it said in a statement.
“As a precautionary measure, members of the public are advised to stop using the product if they have purchased it immediately, and to seek medical advice should they experience any adverse effects or suspicious symptoms.”
The statement further said the sale and possession of unregistered medicines is an offence under the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations, and is punishable under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952.
Convicted offenders may be fined up to RM25,000 (S$7,800) or imprisoned for up to three years, while companies may face fines of up to RM50,000.
Meanwhile, the ministry also stated that it would continue to monitor advertisements for medicines and health services, including those on e-commerce platforms, to ensure compliance with the Sale of Drugs Act, the Poisons Act and the Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act.
From January to September 2025, a total of 25,335 medical advertisements were screened, 1,958 URLs were requested for blocking, and 11,287 URLs were notified to local e-commerce platforms for removal. The total value of seized unregistered products during the same period was RM41.3 million, involving 10,442 items.
In addition to enforcement, the PED has launched the “Reject Unregistered Medicines” (Tobats) campaign to raise public awareness of the risks of using unauthorised health products. More information is available at https://pharmacy.moh.gov.my/tobats
The public is also advised to verify the registration status of medicines by checking the hologram security label and registration number (MAL) before making a purchase. Verification can be done on the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) website at www.npra.gov.my
Complaints or information on the sale of unregistered medicines can be submitted via the Public Agency Complaint Management System (SisPAA) at .
