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SL imports 80 percent of pharmaceuticals, not imported by any other country

1 April 2019 08:34 pm - 5     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A top pharmacist said today that 80 percent of pharmaceuticals imported by Sri Lanka are not imported by any other country in the world.

Pharmacist of National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Gopi Krishantha de Silva informed this to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to probe allegations of large scale corruption between January 15, 2015 and December 31, 2018 yesterday.

Responding to him, the Chairman of PCoI Justice, Upaly Abeyrathne, directed the commission to investigate the reason. “A lot of expensive medicinal drugs are exported to Sri Lanka by various countries, yet, they are of inferior quality,” Chairman Abeyrathne told the commission.

A witness had given evidence regarding to the export of the new Russian controversial oncology medicine named ‘Herticad’ to treat patients with breast cancer.

He informed the commission that the drug had been issued from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation; not from the Russian Medicines Regulatory Authority. When the council asked for clarification by the NMRA in regards to this drug, the witness had produced a document which had given by the local agent.

According to that letter from the Russian Government was not providing the Certificate of Pharmaceutical Products (COPP). Witness also produced a letter which had issued by Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva of Cosmetic, Devices and Drugs Authority in 2015 before forming the NMRA. According to that letter the particular medicine has no export history for the past three years. (Yoshitha Perera)


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  Comments - 5

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  • Dilshan Jayasuriya Tuesday, 02 April 2019 01:56 PM

    Who’s writing these articles? Terrible grammar throughout.

    Nobee Perera Tuesday, 02 April 2019 04:36 PM

    No needs everything in proper English, in fact, our country is not an English Language country. Our country is ruling by Sinhalese. We need the facts

    M P N PERERA Tuesday, 02 April 2019 03:10 PM

    Lot of explanations needed. 1. Where did he get the information from? 2. Has he got all the statics of what medicine other countries import and from which country. 3. If the manufacturing country do not export to other countries, then do they manufacture them only for SL use? 4. ‘Herticad’ could be a 'one off' but generalisation is a very very poor attempt by the witness.

    Lankan Tuesday, 02 April 2019 03:35 PM

    Today this is the biggest Mafia in the country Pharmaceuticals. If the industry is closely monitored you will see how much money deals are taking place against pharmaceutical companies, Dr's and chemists around Sri Lanka. I urge the authorities to look closely into the Dr's and companies you will be shocked at the amounts being paid to get prescriptions.

    Channa Tuesday, 02 April 2019 06:31 PM

    Thanks to Rajitha . Once a company own by him has supplied inferior quality medicine to security forces . Only in Sri Lanka some one like Rajitha can be the health minister


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