Probe on holding functions to launch 2 drugs twice!
Health Minister – Keheliya Rambukwell has yesterday (16) informed ministry secretary – Janka Sri Chandragupta to hold an investigation on 03 functions being held to launch 02 drugs manufactured by the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC).
Accordingly, an investigation is underway, reports say.However, sources say that the functions were held under the auspices of 03 related ministers and it is yet to be learnt whether they have had a hand in this.
The functions were held to launch Levothyroxine 50mg which is a thyroid medicine and the Omeprazole 20mg which decreases the amount of acid in the stomach.The Levothyroxine drug was launched on 2020 Feb. 11 under the auspices of the then Health minister – Pavithra Wanniarachchi.
The Omeprazole drug was launched on 2022 April 27 under the auspices of the then State minister of Pharmaceuticals – Channa Jayasumana.
Both these two drugs were relaunched at a function held on Monday (15) under the auspices of Keheliya Rambukwella, where another painkilling drug (Mefenamic Acid) was launched.
Responding to media queries on this regard, Dr. Uthpala Indrawansa, the chairman of the SPMC has said that the Levothyroxine and Omeprazole drugs were previously manufactured and provided to state hospitals. The most recent launch had featured them in aluminium packaging for the commercial market, he had clarified.
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