Rajitha orders probe on importation of cancer drugs worth Rs 120 m without prior consent

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has launched an inquiry into the importation of cancer injections worth Rs 120 million, which took place without his approval.

A court order had been issued recently stating that the drug identified as Pertuzumab, could be imported only at a maximum of Rs 95,000 per injection.

The Ministry had learnt that the injections were purchased at around Rs 550,000 a unit in the recent past, whereas it could have been purchased at less than Rs 100,000.

The Health Ministry had suffered losses amounting to Rs 50 million as a result of importing 400 injections last year.

Recently, the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry had requested the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) to purchase a stock of these injections valued at Rs 120 million.

However, sources at the SPC told Times Online that the transaction had been halted after learning that the batch of drugs had been imported without the approval of the Health Minister.

Accordingly, Health Minister Senaratne has instructed the National Medicines Regulatory Authority and the Medical Supplies Division to conduct an investigation into the matter.

(Reporting by Damith Wickramasekara)