May 29, 2025
PETALING JAYA – Private online healthcare service providers, such as virtual clinics, are now required by the Health Ministry to comply with a set of guidelines that detail the standards and practices for their operations in the digital space.
Under the guidelines, these providers are prohibited from attending to emergency cases involving injury or acute illnesses.
The Health Ministry said in a circular dated May 5 that these guidelines would be an interim measure and could be a precursor to a future law to regulate the Online Healthcare Services (OHS) space.
“It is becoming apparent that healthcare policies and regulations created in an analogue age may be inadequate to cater for the often-disruptive healthcare service models in the digital age,” the guidelines said.
“Ambiguities and lacunas in the law create uncertainty for healthcare professionals, platform providers and patients alike.
“It is crucial for there to be clear standards and requirements to guide those involved in the online healthcare services industry,” the guidelines added.
According to the guidelines that came into effect on May 5, OHS can only attend to non-emergency cases; follow-up management for stable cases; group session counselling services for areas such as psychology, nutrition or rehabilitation; referral or secondary care programme by specialist or consultant; or support services such as the supply of medication, laboratory and imaging services.
They are barred from attending to emergency cases which involve injury or illness that are acute and pose an immediate risk to a person’s life or long-term health or psychiatric cases requiring in-person sessions.
Aside from that, cases which require the supply through post of any psychotropic drugs or drugs falling within the ambit of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and its related regulations; as well as cases which require intermediate or complex medical treatment are also prohibited.
The company that runs the platform must be incorporated and registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia and those with e-pharmacy services must employ a licensed pharmacist.
At least one senior member of the board must be a medical practitioner registered in Malaysia with a valid practising certificate.
The platform must be based in Malaysia and have a physical office.
The platform must also have in place processes and procedures to enable the registration of Healthcare Professionals and Patients; conduct proper and necessary screenings and checks; obtain all required supporting documents from healthcare professionals and patients; and extend their best efforts to verify their veracity before approving any registration.
Patients’ written information for the collection, use, processing and retention of confidential data and written information as well as the provision of OHS are obtained and recorded during the registration process in line with the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, the relevant Code of Professional Conduct and the Malaysian Medical Council Guideline.
“Such consent must be reproducible as and when required,” it said.
A proper patient grievance mechanism and process to enable them to provide feedback on OHS, Healthcare Professionals and the platform must be in place.
“The Platform Provider shall ensure that any issue raised using such Grievance Mechanism is promptly addressed and managed,” it stated.
“The Platform is merely a technology platform to provide patients with access to Healthcare Professionals and facilitate the delivery of Online Healthcare Services, and there is no doctor-patient relationship between the Platform Provider and the Patient,” the guidelines said.
It should also ensure the e-prescription issued must be controlled, given to the patient for single use only and can only be dispensed up to three times per prescription.
Medications that are categorised under Group B under the Poisons Act 1952, whereby it cannot be purchased over the counter and can only be prescribed by a registered doctor or pharmacist, cannot be given on these platforms.
“Platform provider shall ensure any collection, use, processing, disclosure, transfer, retention and disposal of confidential data complies with all applicable laws including data protection laws,” it said.
The healthcare professional employed by these platforms must be registered with a professional regulatory body in Malaysia; and possess valid practising certificate.
“A healthcare professional should have appropriate liability protection and coverage to provide protection from any malpractice incidences,” it said.