Act to prevent drug shortage
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena will present the National Drug
Quality Regulatory Council Act in Parliament in July.
The act will prevent drug shortages and those manipulating when
supplying drugs, a Health Ministry spokesman said.
The spokesman said the Act has been drafted by a special committee
appointed for the task.
It had been done with the consultation of health officials,
professionals and related parties.
The Act will be one of the key elements of the proposed National Drug
Policy to be implemented gradually.
The proposed Act will solve other issues in the supply of drugs.
The companies and persons who manipulate drug supply are only
concerned about making profits.
They play with the patients lives. The Act will prevent all these
activities, the Minister said.
The State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company (SPMC) produce around
46 drugs by the country requires. Local private companies produce around
80 drug varieties. Rest are imported.
The ministry imports most drugs from one country because of the low
price of drugs in that country. But the drugs never arrive on time. Even
when they arrive, they come in small quantities in several shipments.
Often these drugs face quality failures and the Ministry rejects them.
This leads to drug shortages in State hospitals, he added.
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