# Behind the Pharmacy Counter: Prescriptions, Over-the-Counter Medicine and Controlled Drugs in Malaysia

> Not every medicine at a pharmacy can simply be sold over the counter. This article explains the three main poison groups under Akta Racun 1952 — Group A, B and C — why some medicines require a doctor's prescription while others can be sold directly by a registered pharmacist, and what the law actually requires of a prescription.

- Category: healthcare
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/healthcare/buying-medicine-pharmacies

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One customer asks for cough medicine at the pharmacy counter and is served immediately. Another asks for antibiotics for a sore throat and is asked to show a doctor's prescription first. Both transactions happen at the same pharmacy, on the same day — the difference lies in how the law classifies the medicine, not in the pharmacist's discretion.

That classification comes from an act that is now more than seven decades old: **Akta Racun 1952 (Akta 366)**.

## Why some medicines can be sold and others cannot

Akta Racun 1952 places every "poison" — a legal term that covers most medicinal substances, not merely toxic ones — into several groups under Jadual Pertama of the act. The three groups the public encounters most often at a pharmacy are Group A, B and C.

| Group | Who may sell it | Is a prescription required? | Provision |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Group A** | Licensed wholesaler to licensed pharmacist only (or for export) | Not relevant — not sold directly to consumers | Seksyen 20 |
| **Group B** | Registered pharmacist only, against a prescription | Yes — a written prescription is required | Seksyen 21 |
| **Group C** | Registered pharmacist, as a dispensed medicine | No — may be sold directly | Seksyen 22 |

Most antibiotics and chronic-disease medicines — high blood pressure, diabetes and so on — fall under Group B. That is why a pharmacy cannot sell antibiotics simply because a customer insists on it.

## What a prescription must contain

Seksyen 21 of Akta Racun 1952 does not merely say "a prescription is required" — it prescribes the content of the prescription itself. A prescription for a Group B Poison must contain:

- The name and address of the registered medical practitioner, dentist or veterinary surgeon who wrote it
- The name and address of the patient
- The quantity of medicine to be supplied and its dosage
- A limit on the number of times the prescription may be repeated — **not exceeding three times**

There is also a provision for emergencies. If it is impossible to obtain a written prescription without unreasonable delay, Seksyen 21(6) allows a pharmacist to sell the medicine on the oral or telephone instruction of a medical practitioner **personally known** to them — provided the written prescription is obtained within one day from the date of that sale.

## Group C: not "uncontrolled", just without a prescription

Group C Poisons — often called "ubat bebas" — may be sold without a prescription under Seksyen 22, but this does not mean anyone may sell them. They must still be sold by a **registered pharmacist** as a dispensed medicine or as an ingredient in a dispensed medicine. Some cough medicines, antihistamines and certain topical medicines fall under this group — still under the supervision of a registered professional, just without the step of a doctor's prescription.

## Psychotropic substances: one more layer of control

Beyond the A/B/C group system, Akta Racun 1952 also separately controls **psychotropic substances** under Jadual Ketiga of the act. Seksyen 30 provides that no person may import, export, manufacture, mix, dispense, sell, supply, administer, possess or use a psychotropic substance except in accordance with the prescribed regulations — with penalties for an offence reaching **a fine of up to RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to five years**.

## Checking the medicine you buy

Beyond the question of prescriptions, another question that often arises — especially for medicine or supplements bought online — is whether a product is genuinely registered. The **National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA)** under KKM operates the **Quest3+** system, which allows the public to check the registration number (MAL number) of a pharmaceutical product.

For patients obtaining repeat medicine from a public health facility, KKM provides **MyUBAT**, a digital portal for checking prescription records from all MOH facilities, tracking medicine delivery by post, and following up on medicine supply — without needing to attend the counter in person every time.

## Common misconceptions

- **"A strong medicine must require a prescription; a mild one does not."** The actual classification is based on Jadual Pertama of Akta Racun 1952, not on assumptions about a medicine's strength — some medicines consumers regard as "ordinary" are in fact Group B Poisons.
- **"A pharmacist can sell me antibiotics if I ask nicely."** Antibiotics are typically Group B Poisons; selling them without a prescription breaches Seksyen 21, regardless of how confident the customer is about their own diagnosis.
- **"An old prescription can be reused indefinitely."** Seksyen 21(2) limits the repetition of a prescription to not more than three times before a new prescription is required.
- **"All cheap medicine sold online is safe."** A registration number can be checked via NPRA's Quest3+ before buying, especially from an unfamiliar seller.

## What's next

For patients on long-term medication, read about [medical insurance](/en/healthcare/medical-insurance) to understand how far the cost of medicine is covered by a health plan. For senior citizens or families managing repeat medication regularly, [healthcare for seniors](/en/healthcare/healthcare-for-seniors) also explains value-added pharmacy services such as postal medicine delivery, which reduces the need to attend the counter every month.

## Sources

- Poisons Act 1952 (Act 366) — Reprint as at 15 May 2024 — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/outputaktap/2182410_BI/ACT%20366_Final%20online_as%2015%20Mei%202024.pdf (Pejabat Peguam Negara Malaysia (Attorney General's Chambers, AGC) — Portal Perundangan Persekutuan)
- Halaman Utama — National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) — https://www.npra.gov.my/index.php/en/ (National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia)
- MyUBAT — Digitalisation of Pharmacy Services — https://myubat.pharmacy.gov.my/?lang=en (Pharmaceutical Services Programme, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM))

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