Raid on errant pharmacies

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The National Drugs Control Authority raided 15 pharmacies in Kohuwala and Boralesgamuwa yesterday.

The Authority has discovered that 14 out of these 15 pharmacies are not suitable to sell pharmacuticals, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said.

He said one pharmacy had a stock of chemicals used to clean wounds with a very strange expiry date being 2009, February 30.

Some of the pharmacies had certain drugs banned/taken out from the Sri Lankan market long time back and some other pharmacies did not have a qualified pharmacist.

Some of these pharmacies sold drugs to the public without doctors' prescriptions. According to the spokesman some of the raided pharmacies had stored drugs inside freezers with food and other items.

Most of the pharmacies were not registered.

The Authority conducted the raid under The National Drug and Cosmetics Control Act Number 28 of 1980.

The Authority will take legal action against all these pharmacies soon under the same Act.

The Authority has decided to conduct similar raids countrywide in order to ensure the safety and a better service to the public, he added.