The Medical and Civil Rights Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance has called for greater transparency from health authorities over delays in releasing laboratory test results related to a controversial batch of Ondansetron injections imported from India, following two deaths reported after adverse reactions.
Alliance Chairman Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said that while initial tests conducted at the Pure Biology Department of the Kandy National Hospital reportedly indicated the presence of bacterial toxins in the drug vials, the findings of follow-up tests carried out by the Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) laboratory or the Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Colombo have yet to be disclosed, nearly three weeks after the samples were examined.
He stressed that the lack of timely disclosure has raised serious public concern, particularly as temporary assurances had been given soon after the incident. Dr. Sanjeewa also questioned why samples of the disputed drugs have not been sent to an internationally recognised laboratory for independent verification, despite the gravity of the allegations and the deaths reported.
Highlighting procurement procedures, he noted that the drugs had been manufactured by an Indian company, with quality assurance certificates accepted by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation before the medicines were imported directly this year. He said the incident has exposed weaknesses in regulatory oversight and accountability within the current system.
Dr. Sanjeewa further claimed that the Ministry of Health has not clearly stated whether bacterial contamination was confirmed in blood tests of the deceased patients, adding to uncertainty surrounding the cause of death.
Calling for decisive action, the doctors’ union urged the government to initiate legal proceedings against the manufacturer or local supplier if wrongdoing is established, and to hold public officials accountable if negligence or misconduct is proven. He also reiterated his appeal to the President to appoint an independent expert committee to review pharmaceutical procurement and regulatory standards, warning that public confidence in the health sector will continue to erode unless transparency and accountability are ensured.
