A common misconception of halal is that it simply contains no porcine products or alcohol. However, halal certification goes beyond this.

Materials must not contain any parts or products of animals that are non-halal or are not slaughtered accordingly. They must not contain najs, or ‘unclean’ materials according to Shariah law.

With halal pharmaceuticals, care must be taken to ensure everything that goes into the product is accounted for and documented. Traceability is an essential part of the halal certification process.

Let us take capsules as an example. To make capsules, a core ingredient is gelatine, which is extracted from the bones of animals. In a halal pharmaceutical process, suppliers of gelatine must ensure to use only the sources permitted, with every step verified and documented— meaning there are no hidden ingredients, such as ‘filler’ materials or byproducts of animals that are not slaughtered in compliance with Shariah requirements.

Halal is not just about what goes into the product, but also how it is made. Pharmaceutical products that are certified halal cannot be prepared, processed or manufactured using equipment that has been contaminated with najs. Manufacturers must ensure that their premises and facilities adhere to Shariah guidelines. Additionally, the products must not come into physical contact with any non-halal products; this includes during preparation, processing, handling, packaging, storage and distribution.

This unwavering commitment to creating the finest in pharmaceutical products has garnered Dupharma Biotech the Halal Pharmaceutical Company of the Year, awarded by the Frost & Sullivan Malaysia Excellence Awards. In fact, all production lines in Duopharma Biotech’s pharmaceutical plants have adhered to halal requirements since 1998.