CAA fines 23 private hospitals, labs Rs. 5.8m over expired medicines

Colombo, July 24 (Daily Mirror) - The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has filed cases against 23 private hospitals and medical laboratories across the country after islandwide raids uncovered the use and storage of expired medicines and diagnostic chemicals, overcharging for laboratory tests, and other practices that pose serious risks to public health.

The CAA said courts have so far imposed a total fine of Rs. 5,798,000 in the concluded cases.

The special inspections targeted private hospitals, medical laboratories and pharmacies with the objective of protecting public health and safeguarding consumer rights.

According to the Authority, investigators detected several serious irregularities during the raids, including the use and storage of expired chemicals for diagnostic and laboratory tests, the sale and use of expired medicines for patient care, charging fees exceeding the maximum prices approved by the CAA for laboratory tests, and storing expired chemicals together with non-expired chemicals without proper segregation.

Following the investigations, the CAA instituted legal proceedings against the 23 private hospitals and medical laboratories in the relevant Magistrate's Courts.

The Authority said legal action will also be initiated against other institutions currently under investigation.

The CAA added that islandwide raids and inspections will continue to curb practices that endanger public health and violate consumer rights. It urged the public to report similar irregularities by contacting the CAA hotline 1977 during office hours.