Ban on branded drugs over-ruled

By Bandula Sirimanna

The ban imposed on the prescription of branded drugs and the prohibition of medical representatives entering state hospitals to market pharmaceuticals have been suspended with immediate effect by the Health Ministry on a directive issued by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage said the Director General of Health Services had been directed to issue a circular suspending the ban, following confusion and concern expressed by medical specialist and others. He said that this decision was taken by the President after he met representatives of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry on Thursday.

Dr. Kahandaliyanage said there were certain matters including the quality of generic drugs sold in local pharmacies to be sorted out before the imposition of the ban. It was also important to create awareness on this issue among the general public, he said.

However, the Health Ministry Secretary said that drugs sold under generic names were much cheaper than branded ones but quality assurance should be in place to check the drugs before and after they entered the market.

He said the Health Ministry authorities had decided to look into all aspects of this complex issue before arriving at a final decision. Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva last month had ordered a ban on prescribing branded drugs and also barred medical representatives from state hospitals to promote their company brand.

The move triggered a chorus of angry protests from doctors and the Sri Lanka Medical Association.