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Risk of low-quality medicines reaching the public
By Mangala Pavithrani
Colombo, Sep 16 (Daily Mirror) - Testing of certain medicines sold at unusually low prices in private pharmacies has confirmed that some do not contain the correct ingredients, raising serious concerns about patient safety, Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Professional Association of Doctors for Medical and Civil Rights, told the Daily Mirror.
According to Dr. Sanjeewa, some medicines are being imported into the country by agents without proper registration with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and are sold in private pharmacies without adequate supervision. He warned that although labels display the country of manufacture, such details may be forged locally.
Citing an example, he said the medicine Papaverine is available in pharmacies for around Rs. 300, but in reality, it is a counterfeit product brought into the country without NMRA approval.
“No one knows whether the medicines sold in such pharmacies contain the correct active ingredient or if they are mixed with harmful chemicals,” he cautioned, adding that these products are sold either at very low prices or at excessively high prices, particularly near major hospitals.
Dr. Sanjeewa stressed that patients are not at risk inside government hospitals, as low-quality medicines are never supplied through official hospital channels. However, he urged stronger regulatory action to protect the public.
“We say the Drug Regulatory Authority must strictly regulate medicines. If the government directly procures and supplies essential drugs for critical illnesses such as kidney, liver, and heart diseases to hospitals, patients will not be forced to spend money outside on potentially unsafe drugs,” he added.
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