By Lal Gunesekera
Two ministers, on Tuesday (22), refused permission to the pharmaceutical industry to increase the profit margin on drugs to 85 per cent.
Ministers of Cooperatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando and Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena met members of the Pharmaceutical Chamber at the Health ministry where the request by the latter was forwarded.
Cooperatives and Internal Trade Ministry sources told The Island that the pharmaceutical trade was already making a profit of 65 percent and it was unfair of them to burden the poor patients any further.
They said that a price formula for drugs would be implemented in the near future and the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Rumy Marzook had been directed by Minister Fernando to submit a report within two months after checking the prices of drugs in the market.
Also present at the discussions were the secretaries of the Health and Cooperatives and Trade Ministries, CAA Chairman Rumy Marzook and representatives of the Pharmaceutical Association.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=39680
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