• Calls on private hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics to comply with regulation

 The Private Health Services Regulatory Council (PHSRC) has sent a letter to all private health institutions, informing them to display the prices of medicines and services they supply to the public in a clearly visible place to avoid malpractice in charging, The Daily Morning learnt. 

The decision has been taken following multiple complaints being received by the relevant institutions regarding malpractice in charging and the lack of uniformity in charges. 

Earlier this year, a leading private hospital in Colombo – which had allegedly billed its patients with exorbitant rates for common drugs that have a maximum retail price (MRP) – was summoned by the courts following charges filed by the pharmaceuticals regulator, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). It is learnt that the action was taken following several public complaints that were received in July 2023 and an inquiry that was carried out to uncover that the hospital in question had billed common drugs at higher prices. 

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (4), Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and PHSRC Chairman Dr. Asela Gunewardena said that accordingly, private hospitals and other related institutions were informed by the PHSRC to display their prices visibly for the benefit of customers. “It is the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) that decides the prices. The purpose of the PHSRC is to monitor and regulate the process. The NMRA is also there to regulate the process,” he said. 

Earlier this year, the NMRA told the media that legal action would be taken against private health institutions – regardless of their status – where medicines and other medical items were being sold at a very high price, thereby violating the Government’s regulations regarding MRPs. The NMRA had noted that the identified institutions would be prosecuted under the prescribed laws of the country and that no institution had the power to sell any kind of medicine or other health-related items exceeding the prices of the relevant Government’s gazette notifications issued by the Minister of Health. 

Meanwhile, the All-Island Private Pharmacy Owners’ Association had called on the Government to eliminate price controls on 60 identified medicines and implement a unified pricing formula for all medications based on their cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) values. They had pointed out that Sri Lanka was at a significant risk of losing access to high-quality pharmaceutical products due to the Government’s imposition of price controls on these 60 medicines.