The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has accused the Sri Lankan government of bypassing established regulatory safeguards, claiming agreements with India have allowed pharmaceutical companies to supply medicines without proper quality checks.
Speaking on the suspension of several drugs imported from Maan Pharmaceuticals Ltd., an Indian company, the FSP’s education secretary Pubudu Jayagoda said the government’s actions had undermined previously robust mechanisms that ensured patient safety.
“Maan Pharmaceuticals Ltd had several of its products withdrawn after failing to meet quality standards. Sri Lanka previously had mechanisms to ensure medicines met these standards. However, those safeguards were bypassed through emergency procurements and registration approvals, opening the door for substandard drugs to reach patients,” he said.
The FSP said it had long suspected that agreements signed by the National People’s Power government with India on April 5, 2025, “distorted the existing regulatory system” and provided Indian pharmaceutical companies with unchecked access to the local market.
The party described the agreements as “covert Modi-Anura deals” and criticized the government for keeping them secret.
“Our warnings are now coming true, but only after innocent lives have been lost. We urged Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa and government representatives to prevent this disaster. Despite delays, we now call for these agreements to be made public immediately. If they are harmful, they should be terminated without delay,” Jayagoda added.
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