Advertising

Are cosmetic products advertisements requiring approval from Medicine Advertisements Board (MAB)?

Cosmetic advertisement is of self-regulatory hence does not require approval from MAB. All cosmetic products must be notified to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), Ministry of Health Malaysia. Any advertisement relating to cosmetic products must comply with the Guideline For Cosmetic Advertisement and is under the control of the Cosmetic Section, NPRA. 

Does MAB allow the use of testimonials in advertisement of weight loss product?

The use of testimonials in advertisement of weight loss product such as statements/ visuals/illustration that show changes in the body’s condition before and after taking the product is permitted and must be supported by the customer testimonial form as stated in Paragraph 4.4.4 Registered Medicinal Products Advertising Approval Guideline.

What are the medical claims allowed in advertisement of weight loss product?

Medical claims stated in advertisement of weight loss product must be in accordance with the product indications and product label approved by Drug Control Authority (DCA). Please refer Paragraph 5.5.2 (vi) Registered Medicinal Products Advertising Approval Guideline.

What should I do if I want to amend the advertisement format that has been approved by MAB?

The applicant is required to get approval from MAB for any amendments intended for the approved advertisement format. The procedures for applying amendments are as follow:

  1. Applicants are required to fill in the Amendment Application Form (Borang Permohonan Pindaan Kelulusan Format Iklan). This form can be downloaded at the official portal of the Pharmacy Services Programme www.pharmacy.gov.my.
  2. The Amendment Application Form must be accompanied by:
    • Approval Form (original document)
    • Approved advertisement format (original document)
    • Five (5) copies of the advertisement format with the requested amendments (for advertisements other than website) AND three (3) copies of the advertisement format with the requested amendments (for website advertisements)
    • Relevant supporting documents (if any)
  3. Completed applications must be submitted to the Medicine Advertisements Board at the Pharmacy Services Programme counter or sent through post /courier.

Application for amendment is free, only allowed once and must be submitted within two (2) months from the date of approval on Approval Form.

How long does it take to get advertisement approval from MAB?

The client charter of advertisement approval from MAB is 5 working days for advertisement format other than website while 30 days (including weekends and public holidays) for website format.

Is it necessary for medical advertisements on the internet to get approval from MAB?

All types of dissemination of information about products and healthcare services to attract public attention, including on the internet, are classified as an advertisement. As stated in Section 4B Medicine (Advertisement & Sale) Act 1956, Medicine Advertisements Board approval is required before an advertisement can be published to the public.

Can I sponsor a radio show to promote my medicinal product?

Sponsored segments on radio such as jingles, talk shows or product sharing sessions are allowed with approval from Medicine Advertisements Board. However, caller segments are not allowed. Every statement or information presented must follow the approved format by MAB.

Does MAB monitor and control pharmaceutical product advertisements by direct selling companies?

The monitoring and control of advertisements for all pharmaceutical products, including direct selling company products, are carried out by the Medicine Advertisements Screening Coordination Section, Advertisement Control Branch, Pharmacy Enforcement Division. The advertisement screening process for pharmaceutical products and healthcare services encompasses all types of media and is further assisted by the Pharmacy Enforcement Divisions in each state. 

The role of MAB is solely to process approval applications for advertisements submitted by all product registration holders, including direct selling companies. 
 

How to ensure that an advertisement has been approved by MAB?

All advertisements that have been approved by MAB were given approval number (eg KKLIU xxxx/EXP 31.12.2025). Advertisement approval number must be displayed clearly on every advertisement. If any pharmaceutical product or healthcare service advertisements were found without approval or not displaying their KKLIU number, members of the public may launch a complaint at Sispaa KKM https://moh.spab.gov.my/.

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