Confusion reigned amongst doctors and pharmaceutical firms this week following comments made by Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva enforcing a ban on prescribing branded drugs from January 1.

Sri Lankans, faced with conflict and uncertainty, had little to cheer about last year except for the exploits of Sri Lanka’s world-breaking test bowler Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) and veteran sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe.

There was absolute confusion amongst pharmaceutical companies and doctors after Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was reported in the media as saying a ban on prescribing branded drugs by doctors would be enforced from January 1. The reports were based on a public speech made by the minister outside Colombo and implied that government doctors will be only permitted to prescribe drugs with generic names while private doctors would be allowed to prescribe brands along with their generic names.