The Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) announced today that 11 pharmaceutical products will no longer be available in the market as it is not commercially viable to import them. In a statement the SLCPI noted that despite persistent appeals, the Government has failed to address the issue of a fair and proper pricing mechanism for pharmaceutical products in spite of the sharply depreciating Sri Lankan Rupee against the US Dollar. "With over 85% of pharma products being imported, both Ministry of Health as well as the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) have remained wilful in depriving the industry of adjusting pricing of products as per the prevailing exchange rate," the statement said.  

	Products Name	Generic Name	Manufacturer
1	Cozaar Tablets 50mg	Losartan Potassium Tablets 50mg	MSD UK
2	Hyzaar Tablets	Losartan Potassium 50mg + Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg	MSD UK
3	Fosamax	Alendronate Sodium 70mg	MSD UK
4	Voltaren SR 100mg	Diclofenac Sodium Modified Release Tablets 100mg	Novartis Switzerland
5	Januvia 100mg	Sitagliptin Phosphate 100mg	MSD Italy
6	Rocephin 1Gr	Ceftriaxone Injection 1g	Roche Switzerland
7	Binozyt Capsules	Azithromycin Capsules 250mg	Sandoz Bangladesh
8	Binozyt Powder for Oral suspension	Azithromycin Powder for Oral Suspension 200mg/ 5ml	Sandoz Bangladesh
9	Tenormin	Atenolol Tablets 50mg & 100mg	Astra Zeneca Swtzerland
10	Alimta	Pemetrexed Injection 100mg & 500mg	Eli Lilly France
11	Herbesser	Diltiazem Tablets 30mg SR & 60mg SR	Tanabe Japan

  Some of the above drugs were withdrawn in 2016 due to the price ceiling and in the absence of a pricing formula. SLCPI added that discontinuation of pharmaceuticals implicates multiple parties such as the manufacturing firms, patients, providers, pharmacies and the health authorities. "The biggest setback would be for the patients who are adversely affected if the drug product that provided excellent therapeutic benefits and resulted in positive health outcomes is no longer available in the market."