MOH Warns Against Unregistered ‘Reta’ Weight-Loss Pens, Highlights Severe Health Risks

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 28 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has warned the public against purchasing or using “weight-loss pens” claiming to contain Retatrutide or “Reta”, emphasizing that no products containing the drug are registered for use in Malaysia.

In a statement today, MOH clarified that Retatrutide remains an investigational drug currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials and has not received marketing approval from any regulatory authority globally.

“As of Aug 17, 2026, no product containing Retatrutide has been registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA) for use in Malaysia. Retatrutide is an investigational medicine undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials and has not received marketing approval from any regulatory authority in the world,” the statement read.

The ministry expressed growing concern over the alarming surge in online sales of weight-loss products, particularly injectable medications offered directly to consumers without prior medical examination, valid prescriptions, or supervision by registered medical practitioners. MOH warned that using such unauthorized pharmaceuticals without professional evaluation could lead to severe adverse effects and health complications, which could escalate if not promptly identified and treated.

To combat illegal sales, the ministry’s Pharmacy Enforcement Division received 65 complaints and conducted 30 enforcement raids targeting weight-loss products between January and July this year. These operations, which included 17 raids specifically focused on online transactions, resulted in total seizures valued at RM477,142.

Furthermore, authorities took down 209 weight-loss product advertisements—including those promoting Retatrutide—from e-commerce platforms throughout 2026. A total of 1,243 related advertisements across various media channels were also identified, screened, and acted upon by enforcement officers.

MOH advised consumers to verify that any weight-loss products they intend to buy are registered, approved, and obtained through legitimate medical channels. Product registration status can be checked using the “Product Search” tool on the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) website, while the authenticity of the FarmaTag hologram can be confirmed via the FarmaChecker feature on the MyUBAT app.

The ministry reiterated that selling unregistered medicines constitutes an offence under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952 and its associated regulations. Violators face fines of up to RM50,000 for a first offence and up to RM100,000 for subsequent offences.

–NMT