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Prof Asitha de Silva appointed Chairman- NMRA, despite conflict of interest
View(s):The Health Ministry this week appointed Prof. Asitha de Silva as Chairman- National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA), despite the controversy surrounding his appointment. The vacancy was created by the sudden resignation of Prof Lal Jayakody from the post.
Earlier, Board member, Chartered Accountant Devasiri Rodrigo, appointed to the Board by Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne, was removed to pave the way for Prof de Silva to be appointed a Board member. The reason cited was that he did not possess any pharmacology background.
Prof Silva’s appointment poses a conflict of interest as he is/has been the Director- RemediumOne, a clinical research company in Sri Lanka offering its services to tertiary care hospitals. The Company also has dealings with multi-national companies involved in drug development.
Act No.5 of 2015 states that, “Persons appointed as Chairperson/Member to the NMRA, should have no conflict of interest in the affairs of the Authority. No person shall engage in any employment or assignment in the pharmaceutical industry within the period of three years immediately before taking up the position or after such person ceased to be a member of the Authority.”
Health Ministry Secretary, Anura Jayawickrema was unable to confirm whether Prof de Silva had tendered his resignation. “I did not see it,” he said.
Mr Jayawickrema said that Prof. de Silva has said he could not see how his position at RemediumOne interferes with his chairmanship at the NMRA. Minister Dr Senaratne said that RemediumOne is an affiliated company of the Kelaniya University where Prof de Silva is attached and that, the Company is in private/public partnership with the University.
NMRA Members argue that the only agreement the Kelaniya University has is a 5-year agreement to facilitate research, and this is as good as a service agreement entered into with a cleaning company. Further, they said the Company is solely owned by private shareholders and has not issued any public shares.
Secretary Jayawickrema said that, if Prof de Silva is proven inappropriate to the post, immediate action will be taken to remove him.
Prof de Silva said he has been appointed Chairman- NMRA and will likely assume duties next week.
He said he considers it a national duty and will do this work in addition to his usual work which is teaching, treating patients and doing research.
Meanwhile, Dr Kamal Jayasinghe was appointed Acting CEO- NMRA, following Prof Krishantha Weerasuriya’s resignation.