COREX banned

9 October 2012 11:22 am - 38 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena today instructed National Drugs and Cosmetics Devices Authority (NDCDA) Chairman Dr. Hemantha Benaragama to make arrangements to prohibit the production, distribution and sale of cough syrups under the COREX label.

These instructions came after five people, who had consumed excessive doses of COREX for the purpose of getting a ‘Kick’ out of it, had died and one man was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital in a serious condition.

Dr. Benaragama said the cough syrup COREX was prescribed for adults and children to fight colds and coughs. A pharmacist is not allowed to sell this syrup over the counter without a prescription.

“Preliminary investigations have revealed that people drink COREX in excessive doses as it contains chemicals with alcoholic and sedative effects which can be fatal,” Dr. Benaragama said and added that some pharmacists were known to sell COREX without a prescription but this was illegal and all pharmacists have been informed to withdraw COREX from their shelves.

He said countrywide raids would be carried out in the next few days to arrest errant pharmacists.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry spokesman Dharma Wanniaarachchi said the minister had instructed Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilaka to conduct an inquiry and submit a report on this matter and circumstances which led to the five deaths and another in a critical condition allegedly caused by the excessive use of COREX . (Sandun A. Jayasekera)

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Comments - 38

citizen Wednesday, 10 October 2012 11:28 AM

not only corex there is more to band

mohamed asfar Wednesday, 10 October 2012 04:39 AM

whoever drink excessive COREX knew very well it is dangerous. so, why the minister banned a medicine which i take whenever i have cough ? wrong just like every other decision. shame.

Aney Machang Wednesday, 10 October 2012 04:40 AM

Ordinary vitamins are selling at exhorbitant prices, some of them are dangerous too.
Why does not the Cosmetics Authority ban those?

Waterblue Wednesday, 10 October 2012 05:21 AM

i used to take COREX when i ve cough. COREX is a good brand and using for many yrs. But sad COREX is out of order due BANNED. :( YES u need prescription from the DR which its important.

Concerned Citizen Wednesday, 10 October 2012 06:03 AM

This decision makes no sense! Why ban a quality cough syrup, just because it's being abused by a few?! There should be strict checks carried out on pharmacies to ensure prescriptions are being checked, drug raids carried out in areas and awareness programs run at schools to stop this kind of abuse. Just banning a product is ridiculous. How about banning glue and aerosols? People use that to get high as well right?! Authorities should not be so quick to ban quality products manufactured in Sri Lanka to open the market to inferior Indian drugs. Patriotism should be more than just on a cricket field!

Most Wanted Wednesday, 10 October 2012 06:08 AM

Since they have increased the tax on liquors and cigarettes, people have fought COREX as their alternatives.... they are so desperate in these sort of boosting items...

Roshan Wednesday, 10 October 2012 06:22 AM

Anything taken excess is bad.

Leo Wednesday, 10 October 2012 07:29 AM

What about sugar free syrups like Broncodene and Broncodex which contains same ingrediants as corex and corex D and from the same company as well. Will they Ban ????

SANJAYA Wednesday, 10 October 2012 08:35 AM

What a stupid act!!!!! According to my knowledge the COREX is a quality drug which is given for cough. Just because it is misused by stupid few, why ban it? A medicine should be banned if there are cases reported of low quality, high side effects and if expired stocks sent purposefully. What a joke

kolla Wednesday, 10 October 2012 11:04 AM

gon emathiya danna magula...

perumal Wednesday, 10 October 2012 04:30 AM

At this rate most of the medicines will have to be banned. Maithreepala is trying his best to get into the group of jokers, Bandula, SB and Mervin.

Buddhi Kasun Wednesday, 10 October 2012 02:11 PM

Not going to work.. It's about time.. They'll find something alternative to get high!

Sonali De Silva Wednesday, 10 October 2012 05:30 PM

Sniffing petrol also gives you a high, kick, whatever. So ban petrol.

anti-psycho Thursday, 11 October 2012 01:19 AM

KD,
Have you heard of people using condom to stuff the narcotics and swallow them to smuggle they die at times.

Nihal Amarasekera Thursday, 11 October 2012 02:02 AM

Fault is not in the medicine.

Hobbes Thursday, 11 October 2012 04:27 AM

Now, now, Leo, don't give them ideas....!

DXB_ul Thursday, 11 October 2012 05:35 AM

How in the earth will our country prosper when we have dumb idiots like this running the country. You people are supposed to help the people. YES!! I agree a few stupid people used COREX to get a kick out of it . !but by banning it your goin to make these people look for an alternative. And creating another illegal product to be traded . Instead why don't u stop to think why people have diverted to such harmful and desperate actions. Its coz people need to releive there stress. And people who can afford to will smoke and drink .. But what about the poor guys . What are they gonna do. !!!! U increased the price of alchohol and cigarettes for "MATHATA THITHA". And well this is the adverse effect.

Rasheed Thursday, 11 October 2012 06:05 AM

Corex is good cough syrup. For your information Corex is only a Generic Name (Brand) given to the cough syrup.. There are others names (there are two other brands) for the same cough syrup and most of the pharmacist are not aware about it.. While standing at a pharmacy counter I once observed a customer asking for corex syrup but the pharmacist refused to give it without a prescription but when the customer asked the pharmacist to recommend another good cought syrup he gave the customer the same cough syrup as Corex but as a different brand..

Ajith Thursday, 11 October 2012 08:51 AM

This govt showed it's foolishness again, the govt officials are going behind media, so the media are the advisers for them, this is really stupid, Corex is a very effective and safe drug which was there for generations, The problem is the pharmacists who sell drugs without prescriptions of doctors, they sell not only Corex but also several other prescription only medicines, so they must be punished first of all, the authorities are going behind blindly, they don't know what exactly to do, if that is the case highly selling brands of "Paracetamol" also should be banned as many people are died and hospitalized daily due to Paracetamol over dosage who attempt commit suicide, but freely available even in "Petti Kade" , and someone said road traffic also banned due to higher number of fatal accidents, so health & transport ministers, This is over to You????????????????

Fair N Square Tuesday, 09 October 2012 02:42 PM

LOL good one...

Sumithi Tuesday, 09 October 2012 11:46 AM

Corex is not the only medicine that gives KICK. But I have seen many empty bottles in some places..School children also use it.
There many which act as DRUGS if used wrongly. Have more raids in pharmacies for giving drugs freely. Some pharmacists are even acting like doctors coz they hive the medicines..Regulate the pharmacies....

Laminate Tuesday, 09 October 2012 11:49 AM

Liquor prices up, so people turn to Corex!

Calistus Jayatilleke Tuesday, 09 October 2012 12:05 PM

This is a knee-jerk reaction to an unrelated issue. There is nothing wrong with any drug if used as per Doctor's prescription and dispensed by the pharmacists properly. If people misuse drugs for other purposes, then the answer is not to ban that drug but to create awareness, If you really go to see, even liquor can be very dangerous and may cause death if not taken in moderation.

misunderstood Tuesday, 09 October 2012 12:01 PM

Mr Minister make Corex also subjected to excise duty!!!

Nishantha Tuesday, 09 October 2012 12:08 PM

Liquor price up --> {Promote illegal liquor business using tax free option, more illegal homemade liquor or kasipu, increase of drugs usage, increase of cost of leaving specially for poor people, More and more robbery for getting more money for liquor } ~--> THIS WILL NOT IMPLIES TO BECOME WONDER OF ASIA…! Ultimately banding liquor or Sex will not control the usage, let it be free...!

Trehan Munsinghe Tuesday, 09 October 2012 12:13 PM

So someone dies or people use it for wrong purposes , so the answer is we should ban it... ?????

SL Govt. & Health Ministry = NO BRAINS !!!

"Tomorrow's Headlines"... Man dies of Using "CONDOM" So Govt. you going to ban that too.... SIGH !!

Ban-ban Tuesday, 09 October 2012 12:24 PM

Politicians are harmful to people too! Why doesn't the govt. ban them too?

P.D.Vidanage Tuesday, 09 October 2012 02:12 PM

Arrack, kassipu ,Cigerate no one die ???

johann Tuesday, 09 October 2012 02:22 PM

A good product banned... all cough suppressants in sri lanka hAve the same ingredients...the problem is abuse.. and issue without prescription... as a result of the abusers and pharmacists issuing drugs without a prescription... many good people are deprived of a cough syrup that has been available for generations... mind u with the same ingredients that all other cough suppresants have in sri lanka.. I am very much aware that corex has become the generic name for cough syrup abuse.. when many other products are being abused... And unfortunately corex which is not even displayed anymore ..has to take the blame....mind u it is nearly impossible to buy a corex without a prescription.

Most Wanted Tuesday, 09 October 2012 11:34 AM

Ohh my god, by the way its a good syrup which cures quickly, but banning it is bad, instead supply it with prescriptions......

Anon Count Tuesday, 09 October 2012 10:05 PM

Complete stupidity, would it not be cheaper to drink alcohol to get a "kick"???

Ami Tuesday, 09 October 2012 11:36 PM

Nicely done ! Another move !

Hussain Tuesday, 09 October 2012 11:46 PM

The government cannot legislate morality. If this is banned, people would find something else that gives "a kick". We cannot ban knives ,people use them to stab others. Its the abuse of anything that is the problem not the product. Education is the answer not banning a good product that does the job of what is intended.

Free Thinker Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:19 AM

another mighty 'intelligent' decision by the govt. All the syrups for 'dry cough' has similar ingredients to suppress the sensitivity of the nervous system which induces the unproductive cough. This is exactly like the sinhala idiom ''BADE AMAARUWATA AMUDA GAHANAWA WAGE' Aren't there any advisers for these people?

Big Ears Wednesday, 10 October 2012 03:21 AM

It is not a case of banning COREX. It show has low society has fallen. This show that having saffron robbed people in the legislator makes no sense. It is time to teach the masses the real Buddhist phyloshopy, the way of life. Not the fast tracked route to Nirvana.

KD Wednesday, 10 October 2012 03:24 AM

What I like to know first is how this man died of using a CONDOM? Please explain Trehan!
Anyhoo I do agree with you that this is a No brainier. Who ever made this decision is a fool.

Thomas Wednesday, 10 October 2012 04:16 AM

Corex is for the treatment of coughs. If someone wants to get a kick out it, it is like jumping into a well knowing you will get drowned. Mr.MINISTER, why ban the Corex, just because some stupid consumes it in the place of alcoholic liquor oy KASSIPU? Please remove the ban for the benefit of millions of people.

Wick Wednesday, 10 October 2012 04:35 AM

What a fantastic decision. Transport Minister, please Ban three weelers and private busses because so many people are killed per day.

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COREX banned

Comments - 38

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