Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a public warning against the purchase and use of 'weight-loss pens' purportedly containing Retatrutide, a drug not registered for use in Malaysia.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Retatrutide is currently an investigational drug undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials and has not received marketing approval from any regulatory authority worldwide. As of August 17, 2026, no product containing Retatrutide has been registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) for use in Malaysia.
The MOH statement highlighted the growing concern over the online sale of weight loss products, including injectable medicines offered directly to the public without proper examination, prescription, or monitoring by registered medical practitioners. The ministry warned that using such products without medical oversight could lead to adverse effects and serious complications.
Between January and July of this year, the Pharmacy Enforcement Division received 65 complaints and conducted 30 raids related to weight loss products. This included 17 raids involving online sales, resulting in total seizures valued at RM477,142.
Throughout 2026, a total of 209 weight loss product advertisements, including those claiming to contain Retatrutide, were removed from e-commerce platforms. Additionally, 1,243 advertisements across various media channels were identified, screened, and acted upon.
In light of these developments, MOH advised the public to ensure weight loss products they intend to purchase are registered and approved for use, and obtained from legitimate sources. The registration status can be verified through the "Product Search" function on the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) website, and the authenticity of the FarmaTag hologram can be confirmed using the FarmaChecker feature on the MyUBAT application.
MOH further warned that selling unregistered medicines is an offense under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952 [Act 368] and its related regulations, with penalties including a fine of up to RM50,000 for a first offense and RM100,000 for subsequent offenses.