Saturday, June 7, 2014

Proposed Draft Of The National Drug Policy Differed From Professor Senaka Bibile's National Drug Policy-Professor R.L Jayakody

The proposed Draft of the National Drug Policy which has been recently submitted to the Parliamentary Advisory Committee for review is different from the Original Professor Senaka Bibile's National Drug Policy and there are so many errors in the proposed draft need to be corrected says Professor R.L Jayakody the Professor Of Pharmacology at Faculty Of Medicine in University Of Colombo.

Although the Health Minister and Director General Of Health Services continuously pledging to implement the proposed National Drugs Policy Draft soon ,there are so many clauses in the draft need to be ratified before implementing it Professor Jayakody has said.addressing a seminar on the proposed National Drugs Policy Draft held at the National Blood Transfusion Center in Narahenpita yesterday(06) he has said that the proposed drug policy which was remade after the health authorities revealed that the previous draft was misplaced ,is out of track when comparing  with the Professor Bibile's National Drug Policy in many ways.

"One of the major errors in the proposed draft that identified is the Clause 38(1)  which stated that the doctors shall write the prescription of drugs from generic name as well as with the brand name .the aim of this clause is not clear " Professor has revealed.this will contradict with the Professor Bibile's Drug Policy which says the importation of Drugs to the country and prescribing to the patients  should be done by generic name" he has stressed.

Also he has questioned the authorities on what basis the post of  Deputy Director General Of Laboratory Services(DDG(LS) was  included in the draft as a member of the proposed National Medicinal Drug Authority to be set up under the draft," as the post has nothing to do with drug industry and only responsible for activities in laboratory services it's not clear the reason behind it's inclusion" Professor Jayakody has stated.

Meanwhile it is widely believed that the outgoing chairman of the National Drug Authority Dr.Hemantha Beneragama and the former health ministry secretary Dr.Nihal Jayathilake were responsible for including the DDG(LS) post as a member of the proposed authority to be set up under the drug policy. Dr.Beneragama who was eyed the DDG(LS) post a year back wants to involve in matters related to importing of drugs to Sri Lanka even after getting the new post Health Ministry Sources said.however the Public Services Commission(PSC) has recently requested the health ministry not to consider Dr.Beneragama for the post due to his malpractices in office and later another director was appointed for the post.

Meanwhile several doctors and trade union leaders present at the occasion were criticized the authorities for not publishing the draft policy of National Drug Policy in the Health Ministry Web Site from Sinhalese and Tamil Languages.as the draft is only displayed in the ministry web site in English language it will be unfair for other communities who wants to make suggestions and criticisms on the draft they have said.

A section of Professors,Doctors,Media Representatives ,members of Doctors and Nurses Unions,Patients rights Movement,Civil Activists,members of the World Health Organizations, legislative Department,State pharmaceutical Corporation,Sri Lanka Medical Association and Health Minsitry and related institutions were present at the occasion, all the suggestions made by the participated representatives on the drug policy will be utilized when making amendments to the draft Health Ministry officials have said.



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