President of the Medical and Civil Rights Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance, Chamal Sanjeewa, has alleged that arbitrary decision-making by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) could result in eye medications of questionable quality entering the State hospital system.
Dr. Sanjeewa claimed that the Authority had failed to adequately consider recommendations made by specialist doctors when procuring certain ophthalmic drugs, potentially putting patient safety at risk.
He stressed that medicines administered before and after eye surgeries must meet strict quality standards. In particular, he noted that the presence of non-medicinal additional components, commonly referred to as “free particles,” should either be completely absent or maintained at minimal levels.
However, he alleged that some newly procured drugs contain particle levels that differ from the limits recommended by eye surgeons, raising serious concerns about their suitability for surgical use.
Dr. Sanjeewa further stated that ophthalmologists had conveyed their concerns to the NMRA Chairman, Ananda Wijewickrama, but claimed that the issue had not been properly addressed.
Describing the situation as unfortunate, he called on the President to initiate an immediate investigation and asserted that the NMRA Chairman should bear direct responsibility if any complications arise among patients undergoing eye surgeries in light of these concerns.
