• Court injunction stalls efforts to regulate prices of essential meds
• GMOA calls for urgent action to address rising medicine costs

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is currently consulting with the Attorney General (AG) to address ongoing legal challenges that have stalled efforts to regulate medicine prices in Sri Lanka. 

The regulatory body is seeking legal guidance after a court injunction blocked its attempts to enforce price caps on pharmaceuticals already in the market.

According to NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, the injunction had been granted following legal action by medicine importers and manufacturers opposing the authority’s pricing measures.

“Price determination of the medicines we have been using up to now cannot be done because of this injunction order,” he stated.

He added that the NMRA was complying with the court’s directive while exploring avenues to resolve the matter.

The controversy stems from the NMRA’s move to introduce maximum price caps to make essential medicines more affordable. This initiative has led to legal disputes, with petitioners arguing that the regulatory process lacked proper consultation.

“The main issue that the petitioners raise is that there is no gazette order for price determination,” Dr. Wijewickrama explained.

He noted that the NMRA had published a gazette after stakeholder consultations but faced further legal action from petitioners claiming that consultations conducted by the NMRA were insufficient without direct involvement from the Minister of Health.

While the court battles continue, the NMRA has clarified that price regulation is still possible for newly approved medicines, offering limited scope for action. However, the impact of the injunction is already being felt across the healthcare system.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has expressed alarm over the consequences of the price control deadlock, citing widespread medicine shortages in Government hospitals.

“Patients are being forced to buy medications from the private sector at inflated prices,” said GMOA Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe.

He called for urgent Government intervention to establish a robust pricing mechanism that prioritised affordability for the most commonly used medicines.

Furthermore, Dr. Wijesinghe highlighted inefficiencies in the existing pricing committee, which oversees only a fraction of the more than 1,000 medicines available in the market.

He stressed that current economic conditions favoured price reductions, urging all stakeholders – including manufacturers and importers – to fulfil their social responsibility.

“We hope the Health Ministry, along with the NMRA and the 11 stakeholders, will come to a consensus as soon as possible to reduce the cost of medicines,” Dr. Wijesinghe stated.

He warned that prolonged legal delays could have severe implications for patients, particularly those with chronic illnesses who were already struggling to afford essential medications.

Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) President M. Prathaban declined to comment on the matter, stating that the NMRA was currently reviewing medicine prices and that it was too early for the chamber to comment.