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Drug shortage due to importers awaiting price hike gazette: Pharmaceuticals State Ministry

16 Mar 2022

  • Pharma State Ministry claims importers delaying supply to pharmacies
BY Buddhika Samaraweera  The Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Ministry took importers to task for allegedly delaying the supply of drugs to islandwide pharmacies due to the upcoming increase in the prices of drugs, which has in turn resulted in a shortage of drugs. The State Ministry said that the current shortage of pharmaceutical drugs in pharmacies would be alleviated after the issuance of the relevant gazette notification to increase the prices of 60 essential drugs by 29% and the increase in the prices of other drugs by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) in the coming days. It has been reported over the past few days that there is a shortage of pharmaceutical drugs in pharmacies across the country. However, when inquired about this, State Ministry Secretary Dr. S.K. Rathnayake told The Morning that the importers are delaying the supply of drugs to pharmacies due to the upcoming increase in the prices of drugs, which has resulted in a shortage of drugs. “The gazette notification to increase the prices of 60 essential drugs by 29% was due to be issued today midnight (15) and the prices of the remaining drugs are to be increased in the next few days. Those prices would be determined by the NMRA. Once the price hikes are finalised, the drug shortage will go away,” he added yesterday (15). Dr. Rathnayake said last week that the prices of 60 essential drugs that have been brought under control prices at present, are to be increased following drug importers having called for an increase in the price of drugs in the face of the appreciation of the US dollar against the Sri Lankan rupee. “There is a committee that decides on the price of drugs. That committee met on 9 March. At that meeting, it was decided to increase the prices of 60 drugs which are currently under control prices at a reasonable rate, in light of the current situation. The increase will take place in the coming days,” he said.


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