KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 21 May 2025 - With one in four Malaysian adults unknowingly living with prediabetes, the country is facing a silent but escalating health crisis. Research shows that one in ten individuals with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within a year, and up to 70% will progress within a decade if no action is taken (Sources: National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019; International Diabetes Federation).

(From left: Dietitian Chua Kai Jia (Professional Care & Development Manager cum Dietitian, Alpro Pharmacy); Pharmacist Anson Tan (Category Manager, Alpro Pharmacy); Mr. Yan Xiangrong (Country Manager, Yuwell Malaysia); Mr. Nicholas Tham (Commercial Director, Ethos Healthcare); Professor Dr. Hasniza (Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & International), University of Malaya); Ms. Pixie Yee (Managing Director, Merck Malaysia & General Manager, Merck Healthcare Malaysia and Singapore); Ms. Elsie Low (General Manager, Powerlife Malaysia); Pharmacist Ng Yi Ling (Professional Care & Development Manager, Alpro Pharmacy))

In response to this urgent need, Alpro Pharmacy has launched the ASAP Programme (Alpro Stand Against Prediabetes) a nationwide health campaign that began in April 2025. This initiative is designed to raise early awareness, promote timely screening, and provide accessible, professional care to help Malaysians reverse prediabetes before it becomes a lifelong condition.

As part of this commitment, Alpro is offering 10,000 free HbA1c tests to high-risk individuals across more than 300 Alpro touchpoints nationwide, from April through June 2025.

With a focus on those with a family history of diabetes and those at higher risk due to age or weight, the ASAP Programme empowers individuals to take proactive steps towards better health. Through early detection and pharmacist-led counseling, nutrition guidance, and lifestyle modifications, participants can potentially reverse their condition.

Beyond individual action, the programme also reinforces the vital role that primary care providers—including community pharmacists, community nutritionists and dietitians, and general practitioners—play in delivering preventive healthcare directly to the public. By bringing early intervention into the heart of the community, the programme ensures that help is accessible, timely, and coordinated.

This national effort is made possible through a strong multidisciplinary collaboration between Alpro Pharmacy, Merck Sdn. Bhd., University of Malaya, Yuwell Malaysia, Ethos Healthcare, and Powerlife Malaysia. United by a shared vision for preventive healthcare, these partners bring together medical innovation, digital health tools, academic research, and nutritional science to combat one of Malaysia’s most pressing chronic health challenges. “Prediabetes is not a life sentence—it’s a second chance,” said Ph. Lim En Ni, Chief Pharmacist and Engagement Director of Alpro Pharmacy. “Through the ASAP Programme, we’re reaching people before diabetes does—offering them the tests, intervention, and ongoing support they need to make lasting changes. Our aim is to stop diabetes before it starts.”

For Merck Sdn. Bhd., the programme aligns with its commitment to early intervention in chronic disease.“The ASAP Programme puts prevention into action—on the ground, led by pharmacists,” said Ms. Pixie Yee, Managing Director of Merck Malaysia and General Manager of Merck Healthcare Malaysia and Singapore. “It’s meaningful because it reaches people before complications begin. As healthcare leaders, we must shift the focus from delayed treatment to early empowerment.”

A core component of the campaign is a research collaboration with the University of Malaya to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led interventions in identifying and managing prediabetes. The study explores how HbA1c screening, paired with pharmacological and lifestyle guidance, can delay or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Findings are expected to help shape future national healthcare strategies and support the standardisation of pharmacy-based chronic disease prevention in Malaysia. “This campaign is more than awareness—it’s a chance to validate the impact of pharmacists in chronic disease prevention,” said Professor Dr. Hasniza, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Malaya.

The ASAP Programme aims to amplify a clear and urgent public health message: prediabetes is reversible, early action matters, and no one should wait for symptoms before seeking help. With professional support and free screening made easily available across the country, this campaign proves that diabetes can be stopped—before it starts.

Malaysians are encouraged to participate by visiting any Alpro Pharmacy outlet during the campaign period. For full campaign details, eligibility information, and outlet locations, please visit: https://bit.ly/AlproASAP

Let’s act ASAP — because the best way to fight diabetes is to stop it before it starts.

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