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NMRA an obstacle to domestic drug production, allege Professions Supplementary to Medicine

26 May 2022

  • Claims approval not granted; calls for law to expedite file approval process 
  • Meeting held with Ranil to import from India, and encourage local manufacturers  
BY Dinitha Rathnayake  Due to the current activities of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), the local production of drugs in the country has been discouraged, claimed the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine. Speaking to The Morning, Joint Council’s President Ravi Kumudesh claimed that domestic drug production in the country has been discouraged due to not granting permission to the participating institutions. “The NMRA has become a serious obstacle in obtaining donations for the current healthcare system. Ignoring the reality of our country's economy or the health care provided to the patients, having to pay around $ 10 for an unwanted product is not good for our economy.” According to Kumudesh, in a meeting held with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday (25), it was advised to purchase the best quality, low-priced medicines, especially from India, without concern about the brand. He also said that the Premier had also advised the authorities to encourage local drug manufacturing companies, taking into account the high prices and shortages.  “A law must be established immediately to finish a file received by the NMRA within a specified period of time. Legislation should be enacted to take legal action against those who do not do so and to recover the loss from the officials responsible for it. Many parties criticised the NMRA, and the Prime Minister agreed to set up a Drug Regulatory Authority that is responsible to the Ministry of Health.  “Although such agreements have been in place for many years, it is the imperative responsibility of the current health authorities to expedite the implementation of such agreements, without restricting them to negotiations, as the health authorities have failed to make that change over the years,” Kumudesh claimed. Speaking to The Morning, NMRA Chairman Dr. Rasitha Wijewantha however said that he totally condemns and rejects these allegations made by the said Joint Council. “The current drug shortage is not the fault of the NMRA. If so, the shortage would have to have occurred during 2019 and 2020. The current crisis is only due to the US dollar issue and the delay in opening letters of credit.” According to Dr. Wijewantha, the NMRA formalised the registration of local drug companies and from March to May, they have provided more than 135 registrations. “We never had an intention to discourage local production. It is just that they don't have the raw materials to produce drugs at the moment.” He also claimed that some are attempting to suspend the NMRA Act so that they can bypass the procedures and import drugs of no quality.  

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