• NMRA reg. requests backlog to be cleared 

The Government aims to establish a laboratory that is capable of checking high-quality medicines in accordance with World Health Organisation standards within a period of three years, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the Parliament yesterday (7). 

He added that although the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has laboratory facilities to check the quality of medicines, it would not be adequate given the national level requirement for medicines and the issues prevailing in the medicines sector.

He made these remarks in response to a question about the Government’s approach to streamlining and expediting the procurement of medicines and addressing the issues identified in this process. Adding that the main solution to irregularities and weaknesses in the procurement of medicines is proper coordination between the NMRA, the Medical Supplies Division, the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation, he noted that the Government is taking steps to achieve it.

Moreover, he explained that the Government aims to deal with the backlog of registration requests presented to the NMRA within the next few months, and that investigations are in progress into several matters including irregularities attributed to unregistered firms during the Covid-19 pandemic. Following these internal investigations, he added, steps will be taken to refer the relevant cases to the Criminal Investigations Department.

Dr. Jayatissa further stated that among the key identified issues are the lack of suppliers registered with the NMRA to obtain certain types of drugs, suppliers registered with the NMRA refraining from presenting bids when bids are called, bidders seeking higher prices for medicines, and suppliers not providing medicines on time.