A leading medical association in Sri Lanka has raised serious concerns over the growing circulation of potentially substandard low-cost medicines in private pharmacies, warning that they pose serious health risks to the public.
The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has urged the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Mass Media to immediately launch inspections and implement scientific testing through random sampling of these drugs.
Speaking to the media on Monday (16), MCPA President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa cautioned that a misleading perception is spreading among the public that quality medicines are now widely available at very low prices. “In reality, some of these drugs may be ineffective or even dangerous,” he said.
Dr. Sanjeewa criticised the Health Ministry for its continued inaction, despite repeated warnings. He noted that some medicines being sold in private outlets, often located near major hospitals, are labelled as being produced by companies that do not actually exist in the countries they claim to be from.
He further warned that some of these medicines may not contain the necessary active ingredients, raising the risk of complications for patients relying on them for treatment.
The MCPA is calling for urgent regulatory action to ensure drug quality, safety, and transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain, especially as more Sri Lankans turn to low-cost private options amid ongoing shortages in the public health sector.
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