Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni stated that the inability to regulate medicine prices in Sri Lanka is due to a court-issued injunction against the National Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (NMRA) pricing committee.
During an interview with The Life Traveller YouTube channel, he addressed public concerns regarding delays in reducing medicine prices.
He explained that the injunction resulted from a petition filed by pharmaceutical companies challenging the NMRA’s price control mechanism.
The Minister acknowledged the issue and assured that steps are being taken to resolve it after nearly a year and a half of stagnation.
He revealed that a new pricing mechanism was finalized two months ago, making the pharmaceutical companies’ arguments invalid.
The government is now preparing to file a motion in court, seeking the removal of the injunction by presenting the newly developed framework.
