• Complaint urges CID to examine phone records and assets tied to NMRA and SPC committees

The Civil Intelligence Front (CIF) has requested the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate telephone records and asset declarations of several medical specialists over allegations of irregular dealings with pharmaceutical companies that may have caused financial losses to the Government.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, CIF Convener Sanjaya Mahawatte said yesterday (22) that a complaint had been lodged with the CID alleging that nearly 200 medical practitioners and university professors serving on price control, procurement and technical evaluation committees of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) maintained direct links with pharmaceutical company representatives.

He alleged that decisions relating to medicine pricing and procurement had been influenced prior to official committee deliberations. "Even medicines carrying the same generic name have been approved at different prices for different companies without scientific justification or supporting laboratory evaluation reports."

He further claimed that certain medical specialists serving on technical committees had granted approvals for medicines of questionable quality instead of selecting products verified for higher standards.

The CIF has requested the CID to initiate a fresh investigation into procurement transactions carried out by the SPC during the past 12 months and to suspend payments connected to procurement processes until investigations are concluded.

Meanwhile, President of the Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA), Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, recently alleged that many complaints relating to corruption within the health sector remain uninvestigated by relevant law enforcement authorities.

Health Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe was not available for comment.