Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Doctors' Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights, said these drugs often bypassing quality checks—are being distributed to private pharmacies through intermediaries, sometimes at higher profit margins than approved medications. He warned that some counterfeit or near-counterfeit drugs are being relabeled and sold under recognized brand names, putting patients at risk.
Dr. Sanjeewa stressed that despite repeated alerts to the Drug Regulatory Authority, weak administrative and management structures in the Ministry of Health have hindered enforcement. He urged immediate government intervention to strengthen drug regulation and protect public health.
