Health Ministry bares drug racket

Nadira Gunatilleke

COLOMBO: The National Drug and Cosmetic Control Authority functioning under the purview of Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry yesterday seized a load of valuable drugs valued at Rs. One million which were being illegally re-packed by a private company in Punchi Borella, Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said.

He said that another company holds the licence to import this drug produced in a foreign country and distribute it in Sri Lanka. The original pack of drugs is big in size and has the expiry date printed on it.

The raided company has bought the drug from the original company and re-packed it in smaller packs with a fake label which do not have a date of expiry on it or the silica bag inside which protects the drug from absorbing water into it.

This particular private company has distributed these re-packed packs among the doctors as samples of the drug and also sold them to patients. “Since the expiry date is missing and there is no silica bag inside the pack, the patients had consumed this unhealthy outdated drug,” sources added.

The Government had lost a huge amount of money by way of duty due to this illegal business and the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry will shortly take legal action against the relevant private company.