Bitter pill for 'rouge' pharmacies

Nadira Gunatilleke

The National Drug Control Authority has filed cases against 194 private pharmacies which violated the Cosmetics, Equipment and Drugs Act No.27 of 1980 and earned Rs.2.2 million as fines.

The private pharmacies had sold expired drugs to patients and drugs taken out from the market. Countrywide raids had been conducted from January to June this year, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said.

He said the private pharmacies had also sold drugs without employing qualified pharmacists. They had issued drugs to patients without doctors' prescriptions. Some pharmacies had sold drugs to patients using staff who did not have knowledge and qualifications, the spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the authority conducted countrywide raids to make sure the public receive a quality service from private pharmacies. The authority has filed 53 cases while 141 cases had been filed at district level.

The authority handed over its report on the raids to the Director General of Health Services.