PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has never approved any herbal medicine which claimed to be able to cure and prevent dengue, Zika and chikungunya.Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry has received complaints on the herbal medicine which is advertised on social media sites.“The ministry wishes to stress that all advertising of medicinal products, registered under Drug Control Authority, must get the approval of the Medicine Advertisement Board (LIU) before advertising to the public.“Legal actions can be taken against medicine advertisements advertised without the approval of Medicine Act (Advertisement and Sale) 1956.“If anyone is found to have committed wrongdoings, they will be liable to a fine not more than RM3,000 or jail term not more than one year, or both,” he said in a statement today.

The ministry also reminded the people to not easily be deceived by suspicious advertisements on any products.Dr Noor Hisham said for any information on suspicious products can be directed to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, call at 03-7883 5400 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ministry also advised the people to continue activities to prevent dengue, Zika and chikungunya which are spread by Aedes mosquitoes.“Activities to control the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes are important. We have to make sure that there are no stagnant waters, and empty containers which could hold water must be destroyed and containers which can’t be emptied must contain medicine with poison to kill the larvae.

“People are also advised to immediately seek treatment if they experience fever, headache, body ache, rash, and vomiting, which are among the early signs,” he added.