Foreign Minister Channa Jayasumana today said that pharmaceutical importers and those involved in the medicine trade have not been given the power to set prices in Sri Lanka.
The Minister of State has issued a statement stating that the pricing of drugs is done by the pricing committee of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority.
The panel, headed by Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, former chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol in Sri Lanka and an international public health expert, consists of 13 experts from various fields.
Prof. Channa Jayasumana further stated that the prices of medicines have increased in the last two days following the depreciation of the Sri Lankan Rupee.
However, he added that in the medicine service, those involved were not authorized to set the price of the medicine at their discretion.
Meanwhile, a special pricing panel headed by Dr. Pilita Abeykoon has approved a 29 percent increase in the price of medicines.
Foreign Minister Channa Jayasumana has said that the increase in pharmaceutical prices will take effect immediately.
