National Drug Regulatory Authority Policy Act To Be Implemented With Effect From Today(01)

The much awaited National Drug Regulatory  Authority Policy Act which was passed in Parliament on 19th of  March will be implemented with effect from today (01) according to the Health Sources.The Gazette Notification regarding the forming  of  National Drug Regulatory Authority under the Act   was issued yesterday(30) the sources have added.

The proposed  National Drug Regulatory Authority will be controlled by a Board headed by Professor Lal Jayakody and comprising of 13 intellectuals  including doctors and professors .

Under the National Drug Regulatory Authority Policy Act the right of patients on  purchasing safe and  good quality  drugs under generic name for reasonable prices  will be assured according to Government Pharmacists Union which was actively involved in making amendments to the National Drug Regulatory Authority Act.

The Act was first approved by the Cabinet on 2005 but the recent governments failed to implement it due to the influence of Multi National Drug Companies.

The founder of National Drug Policy was a Sri Lankan Professor Senaka Bibile who was also the founding chairman of State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC).Sri Lanka  needs around 80 essential drugs which should be available in state run hospitals  according  to the Pharmacists Union.