A life-saving heart drug has been pulled from circulation after Sri Lanka’s drug watchdog flagged it as substandard, raising fresh questions about Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa’s tenure and the pharmaceutical monopoly draining public funds.
The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors has revealed that a drug called Tenectepase, recently imported for emergency heart patients, has been withdrawn from use by the National Drug Regulatory Authority due to poor quality.
Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Association, told reporters in Colombo that the drug was brought into the country during the tenure of current Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. He stressed that the Health Secretary must launch a full investigation, given that the public is closely monitoring the matter and awaiting the full laboratory test report from the authority.
Dr. Sanjeewa also criticized successive Health Ministers for failing to curb the monopoly of certain pharmaceutical companies. He noted that while ministers have repeatedly admitted in Parliament that companies are inflating prices and exploiting procurement, no concrete action has been taken.
He further highlighted that these companies control the import process for key drugs, including immunoglobulins, by maintaining artificially high price differences. This monopoly has resulted in billions of rupees in taxpayer money being funneled into the hands of a few firms, while the Ministry of Health has failed to intervene.
The Association has now called for a special study into how these procurement practices are undermining the healthcare system, warning that public health and financial accountability are at serious risk.
