Delay in publishing test results on Ondansetron injection raises suspicious: Doctors’ Union

Colombo, January 5 (Daily Mirror) - Nearly three weeks after two suspicious deaths were reported following complications allegedly linked to the administration of the controversial Ondansetron injection imported from India, concerns have been raised over delays in releasing the results of a second laboratory test on the drug, the Medical and Civil Rights Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance Chairman  Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said.

He said that the Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) had earlier announced that initial tests conducted by the Pure Biology Department of the Kandy National Hospital found bacterial toxins in the relevant vaccine vials. However, he said the findings of subsequent tests carried out by the DRA laboratory or the Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Colombo have still not been made public, despite nearly three weeks having passed since the samples were tested.

Questioning the delay, Dr. Sanjeewa asked whether there was a conspiracy behind the failure to release the test reports. He also pointed out that although the questionable drugs were manufactured by an Indian company under the current government, with quality control certificates accepted by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) before being directly imported this year, samples have still not been sent to an internationally recognised laboratory for independent testing.

He further alleged that the Ministry of Health has failed to clarify whether bacterial contamination was detected in the blood test reports of the patients who died.

Dr. Sanjeewa also criticised the Drug Regulatory Authority for approving pharmaceutical companies despite a history of poor-quality medicines being imported and manufactured in Sri Lanka. He claimed that when such concerns were raised in the past, both he and the media were accused by the Ministry of Health.

Calling for immediate action, Dr. Sanjeewa urged the government to initiate legal proceedings against the Indian manufacturer or the local intermediary company if they are found responsible for the procurement of the disputed drugs. He also demanded that if the incident was the result of a conspiracy, all responsible public officials should be brought to justice.

He revealed that he had written to the President on January 1 requesting the immediate appointment of an expert committee before permanently recognising the Sri Lanka–India Health Agreement and Indian pharmaceutical standards in Sri Lanka. He further called for the removal of the Chairman of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the Chairman of the Drug Regulatory Authority and the Secretary to the Ministry of Health, alleging that their actions have contributed to an ongoing crisis in the health sector.