Mobile pharmacy rounded up

A person conducting a mobile pharmacy using a motorcycle and a three-wheeler was rounded up by officers of the National Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Regulatory Authority during raids conducted in the Colombo district recently. Conducting mobile pharmacies is banned as the exposure of drugs to the outside temperature would harm their quality.

A Health Ministry press release said the National Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Regulatory Authority acting on the directives of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena is continuing the inspection of private pharmacies to ensure that they provide quality drugs and a proper service for the public.

Three teams comprising drug and food inspectors raided several pharmacies in the Colombo district Tuesday and Wednesday and detected several pharmacies flouting stipulations made by the authority. These included the sale of outdated medicine, stocking inferior drugs, improper refrigeration, lack of qualified pharmacists, retention and sale of unregistered and banned drugs, he said.

The National Cosmetic Devices and Drug Regulatory Authority has decided to institute legal action against these errant pharmacies.