20 December 2021 12:00 am Views - 110
The Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Ministry has taken steps to fix a maximum retail price (MRP) for 131 varieties of 60 essential drugs of high demand for non-communicable and infectious diseases State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana said yesterday.
While admitting that there was a slight short supply of some essential drugs in the domestic pharmaceutical market, Minister Dr. Jayasumana said he instructed the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) to announce a MRP for 131 drug varieties of high demand amidst a sharp increase of their prices. “I admit that there has been a shortage of some essential drugs but the NMRA has issued permits to import them as early as possible to drug importers.
However, I don’t accept the media reports that the price of certain drugs had spiraled to 100% 200% and 300%. I hope, the MRP announced by my Ministry would bring down drug prices eventually. The NMRA has also permitted to increase drug prices by 9% on account of the depreciation of the rupee,” he said. Some of the essential drugs with high demand that come under the MRP are: Telmisartan, Amoxicillin, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, Metformin and Thyroxin.
Consumers are requested to lodge complaints on excessive prices or any other complaint in the pharmaceuticals market with the website of the State Ministry complaints@nmra.gov.lk.
Minister Prof. Jayasumana also told Daily Mirror that the NMRA has requested the dossier of clinical trials conducted on humans for the wonder drug Molnupiravir from the pharmaceutical giant Merck of the US for Sri Lanka to take a decision whether to import a consignment of Molnupiravir or not.
“Some quarters in the global Pharmaceuticals industry have raised concern on the efficacy of the wonder drug and therefore it is imperative that we take all precautionary measures to ensure that we import the drug with full confidence,” Minister Prof. Jayasumana stressed.