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Package to reduce quality drug prices
Comprehensive proposals to significantly reduce the prices of medical drugs and provide quality drugs for the people at affordable prices were handed over to the Ministry of Health on Friday. The price reduction and quality control package known as the National medicinal Drugs Policy was worked out at a two-day consultation of all stakeholders on Thursday and Friday.

The consultation facilitated by Professor Krishantha Weerasuriya, WHO regional adviser on drug policy had the active participation of deans of medical faculties, consultants representing medical associations and the GMOA, the Peoples Movement for the Rights of Patients, top officials of the Health Ministry, the SPC, the SPMC, leading pharmacists and executives of drug companies.

In terms of the proposed NMDP, the essential medicines concept proposed by the famous Professor Senaka Bibile more than three decades ago will be implemented – thus drastically reducing the number of drugs being imported and bringing about a reduction in prices and more quality control.
At present some 9,000 drugs including hundreds of non essentials, unnecessary or highly expensive brand names have been registered creating virtual chaos in prescriptions and sales. Under the essential medicines concept only about 350 medicinal drugs will be imported with about five dosage forms of each variety.

Through this process the country would be able to save billions of rupees in foreign exchange annually while each individual would be able to reduce medical expenses significantly. Significant price reduction is expected to be brought about by the new National Medicinal Drugs Regulatory Authority to be set up under the new policy. The NMDRA in registering drugs will take into consideration not only quality, efficacy and safety as at present but also the cost effectiveness of the drug and the need for it.

The implementation of the 10 policy principles laid down in the NMDP will be monitored by a National Standing Committee comprising all stakeholders including representatives of patients’ rights groups. The wide-powered committee will be appointed by the Minister of Health on the recommendation of the Director General of Health Services.

Professor Weerasuriya said that if the comprehensive policy was implemented by Sri Lanka within the next two months, Sri Lanka would emerge as a model for south Asia when the regional conference is held in September. He pointed out that it was Sri Lanka’s Professor Senaka Bibile who initially gave the principles of rational drug use some 40 years ago. The WHO hailed the Bibile principles and some 150 countries are implementing them but it has taken some 40 years for Sri Lanka to realize the life-saving values of those principles.

Health Ministry officials including the Drug Authority Director Dr. D.S.R. Samaranayake said that twice previously in 1991 and 1996, national drug policies had been drawn up by task forces but had not reached the level of Cabinet approval and implementation. They assured that this time the Ministry would go ahead and implement the National Medicinal Drugs policy.

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