Advertising a health product in Malaysia: what can you say?

It depends on how the product is sold. A health supplement registered with NPRA usually needs approval from the Medicine Advertisements Board (MAB) before an advert is published, including posts online and by influencers, and the approved advert carries a KKLIU number. A product sold as food needs no prior approval, but its adverts may only use the claims the Food Regulations 1985 allow on the label, and endorsements by customers are not allowed.

Which rules apply to your product?

How you can advertise follows from how the product is sold. Read Does my product need NPRA registration? if you are not sure which route yours is on.

Product	Before you publish	Main rules
Health supplement (registered with NPRA)	Approval from the Medicine Advertisements Board, shown as a KKLIU number	Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act 1956; MAB advertising guidelines
Food or drink	No prior approval, but only the claims allowed on the label	Food Act 1983; Food Regulations 1985; MOH labelling guideline 2023

What does the 1956 Act forbid?

The Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act 1956 bans adverts that present a product as a remedy for any of the 20 diseases and conditions listed in its Schedule. Any other medical claim needs approval from the Medicine Advertisements Board (MAB) before it is published (section 4B). A first conviction can bring a fine of up to RM3,000, up to one year in jail, or both; a later one up to RM5,000, two years, or both (section 5).

How does MAB approval work for supplements?

The MAB's current guidelines took effect on 1 October 2022 and were last amended on 26 August 2025. Registered health supplements may be advertised to the public. In practice:

The KKLIU number. An approved advert shows the product name, its MAL registration number, the approved wording, and a KKLIU number with its expiry date, such as "KKLIU 1234 / EXP: 31.12.2026".
Online counts. The guidelines cover digital and online adverts and websites. Their definition of a celebrity includes influencers, key opinion leaders, product ambassadors, founders and investors.
One post, one approval. Under MAB policy, each application covers one format or one social media posting.
Customer endorsements. A customer's own account of the product is allowed only when the person is real, what they say matches the approved wording, a signed consent form is on file, and the advert says "The effect of this product may vary between individuals". Ratings and satisfaction surveys are not allowed.
The exception. An advert that uses only the general claim "Digunakan sebagai suplemen kesihatan" (used as a health supplement) needs no approval, but it cannot show other claims or website and social media logos.

What about food and drinks?

Food adverts need no prior approval, but the Food Act 1983 makes a misleading food advert an offence (section 17), and an advert may not claim more than the label is allowed to. The Ministry of Health's 2023 labelling guideline adds that:

food adverts may only use the claims allowed under the Food Regulations 1985;
adverts with endorsements by consumers or health professionals are not allowed;
celebrities and influencers may appear, within those same limits;
a claim of clinical proof is an example of a claim that needs evidence behind it.

The Food Safety and Quality Programme runs an advisory service if you want an advert checked before it goes out.

Where Athena fits

For a private-label product, we check your label against these rules and tell you which advertising route your product follows. If it is a health supplement, you know before launch that each post needs its own approval, so the time it takes is in the plan. Read What can a supplement or food label claim in Malaysia? for the label side.

Sources

Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act 1956 (Act 290), sections 3, 4B and 5 and the Schedule; Ministry of Health copy, revised 1983, amended to 1990. pharmacy.moh.gov.my
Medicine Advertisements Board, Registered Medicinal Product Advertising Approval Guidelines, in force 1 October 2022, amended 26 August 2025. pharmacy.moh.gov.my
Medicine Advertisements Board, Policy and Decision (Product), version 4.2026 (one format or one social media posting per application). pharmacy.moh.gov.my
Medicine Advertisements Board, Panduan Tuntutan Pengiklanan Produk Ubat Berdaftar Yang Dibenarkan Tanpa Kelulusan LIU (adverts allowed without approval). pharmacy.moh.gov.my
Food Act 1983 (Act 281), sections 16 and 17, reprint as at 1 April 2012. hq.moh.gov.my
Ministry of Health, Food Safety and Quality Programme, Guideline on Labelling Requirement under Food Act 1983 and Regulations Thereunder, 2023, chapter 3 (food advertisements). hq.moh.gov.my
Food Safety and Quality Programme, food advertising advisory service. hq.moh.gov.my