Pharmaceutical Industry withdraws 11 drugs from market

Wednesday, 17 October 2018 09:16

The Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) in a statement to media said that despite persistent appeals, the Government has failed to address the issue of a fair and proper pricing mechanism for pharmaceutical products in light of the sharply depreciating Sri Lankan Rupee against the US Dollar.

With over 85% of pharma products being imported, both Ministry of Health as well as the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) have remained wilful in depriving the industry of adjusting pricing of products as per the prevailing exchange rate, SLCPI noted with concern.


As such, the following pharmaceutical products will no longer be available in the market as it is not commercially viable to import them.

 

Products Name

Generic Name

Manufacturer

1

Cozaar Tablets 50mg

Losartan Potassium Tablets 50mg

MSD UK

2

Hyzaar Tablets

Losartan Potassium 50mg + Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg

MSD UK

3

Fosamax

Alendronate Sodium 70mg

MSD UK

4

Voltaren SR 100mg

Diclofenac Sodium Modified Release Tablets 100mg

Novartis Switzerland

5

Januvia 100mg

Sitagliptin Phosphate 100mg

MSD Italy

6

Rocephin 1Gr

Ceftriaxone Injection 1g

Roche Switzerland

7

Binozyt Capsules

Azithromycin Capsules 250mg

Sandoz Bangladesh

8

Binozyt Powder for Oral suspension

Azithromycin Powder for Oral Suspension 200mg/ 5ml

Sandoz Bangladesh

9

Tenormin

Atenolol Tablets 50mg & 100mg

Astra Zeneca Swtzerland

10

Alimta

Pemetrexed Injection 100mg & 500mg

Eli Lilly France

11

Herbesser

Diltiazem Tablets 30mg SR & 60mg SR

Tanabe Japan

 

Some of the above drugs were withdrawn in 2016 due to the price ceiling and in the absence of a pricing formula.


SLCPI notes with distress that discontinuation of pharmaceuticals implicates multiple parties such as the manufacturing firms, patients, providers, pharmacies and the health authorities.


The biggest setback would be for the patients who are adversely affected if the drug product that provided excellent therapeutic benefits and resulted in positive health outcomes is no longer available in the market.

Last modified on Wednesday, 17 October 2018 09:24