‘Sample drugs’ distributors and reps to be charged: NDRA

The owner of this distribution outlet was arrested and released on a Rs. 100,000 bond. He was ordered to appear at the Kandy Magistrate’s Court on March 30 According to the National Medicines Regulation Act – No.05, no person shall transport, exhibit or store any medicine marked as a decision sample and this owner of the particular pharmacy had distributed the ‘sample drugs’

Further investigations are in progress to arrest the distributors and the sales representatives who delivered ‘sample drugs’ to be sold by a leading pharmaceuticals distribution centre in Katugastota, Kandy, the National Drugs Regulatory Authority (NDRA) said yesterday.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Chief Food and Drugs Inspector of NDRA Amith Perera said officers from NRDA had raided a leading pharmaceuticals distribution at Katugastota on March 25 and seized a stock of ‘sample drugs’ kept for sale unlawfully.

He said that they had found variety of ‘sample drugs’ issued for many major diseases such as high blood pressure, asthma and catarrh.

“According to the National Medicines Regulation Act – No.05, no person shall transport, exhibit or store any medicine marked as a decision sample and this owner of the particular pharmacy had distributed the ‘sample drugs’ to other retail outlets,” he said.

Mr. Perera said only Doctors, Medical Representatives and Regional Whole-sellers were able to keep sample drugs with them.

“The owner of this distribution outlet was arrested and released on a Rs. 100,000 bond. He was ordered to appear at the Kandy Magistrate’s Court on March 30,” he said.

Further he said that they had already found a stock of outdated drugs and they had not taken any action against it because the particular distributor has already labelled it as expired drugs.

He said that the raid had been carried by a team from NRDA under direction of Chief Executive officer Dr. Kamala Jayasinghe including Food and Drugs Inspector Mr. Mahinda Sirikumara and Regional Food and Drugs Inspector of Kandy District Mr. R.P.W. Rajapaksa.