Kota Kinabalu: Former Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the increasing cost of medicine might be alleviated if Asean countries collectively deal with big western pharmaceutical companies for more affordable prices including for vaccines.
He also acknowledged there were complications and side effects from Covid-19 vaccines for a small group as with all medicines.
However, he said the important consideration was to save lives and protect medical frontliners who were exposed to the disease.
He said curative medicine is expensive with costs escalating over a period of 20 years, while preventative medicine may help people live a healthier lifestyle to minimise the need to seek medical treatment.
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