New President of SLCPI says chamber supports price regulation
Thursday, 3 July 2014 00:45
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The new President of SLCPI Chandra Jayaratne speaking at the AGM
Speaking at the Annual Awards Ceremony, which is a traditional part of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry’s Annual General Meeting, the newly appointed president, Colonel Chandra Jayaratne categorically, said that the Chamber has always favoured a price regulatory mechanism in the pharmaceutical industry. “Contrary to statements made in some sections of the media we would like a regulatory system put in place like that which existed in the 80s and 90s,” he said.
Colonel Jayaratne also made an appeal to the Consumer Affairs Authority to pay due attention to the explosion of costs over the last 15 years notably in electricity, salaries, fuel, storage and transportation. He also said that the Registration and Regulatory costs levied by the CDDRA have gone through the roof for reasons they could not fathom because there have been no improvement whatsoever in the service provided to support such an increase. “These costs have increased approximately 500% over the past 15 years. The SLCPI has submitted our proposal after a deep and a real life authentic study for which we are awaiting the response from the CAA.”
The Annual Awards Ceremony and Fellowship Dinner of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries (SLCPI) which customarily followed the AGM, was held at the Grand Crystal Ballroom of Hotel TaJ Samudra last Friday (27th) and was attended by Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena, Consumer Affairs Authority Chairman Rumy Marzook and Director Generalof Health Services Dr. Palitha Mahipala. The new Presidentof the SLCPI urged the membership to unite as one, the only way that would give them the required clout to meet the manifold threats facing the industry to an extent never seen before. He emphasised that the best protection would be to look inwards with a view to policing themselves before being policed by outsiders. He requested the membership to consciously engage in a thorough review of their business practices such as logistics, pricing, labeling and other legal requirements to ensure that there was no room for loopholes that would not only harm the industry, but would inadvertently cause damage to patients and other stakeholders it serviced.
He further said that he would work with the new council to create multiple committees, which would be available to the membership in times of need, to offer them quick resolutions to problems if and when they arose. “We will do all we can to prevent member companies from feeling helpless in times of adversity. Within the next few weeks and days, our member companies would be informed as to who they should contact in case of a problem with any of the State Authorities such as Customs, Import Control, etc., as a problem solving measure whichever the case may be,” he said.
Colonel Jayarathne thanked Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva, Acting Additional Secretary of Health (Medical Services) and Director Medical Technology and Supplies as well as other dignitaries who graced the event for their presence and support. The new President pledged the SLCPIs co-operation in fulfilling the all-important need to receive timely registrations for dossiers submitted to the CDDRA. He also requested the Acting Additional Secretary to create a level playing field for all companies and to ensure fair play at all times.
The SLCPI Chief also took the opportunity to state that the Chamber is wholehearted in their support of the Government’s efforts to implement the National Medicinal Drugs Regulatory Policy (NMDRP). “We as a responsible body have appealed to reconsider ONLY TWO clauses of the policy document i.e. the need clause and the cost effective clause, which would adversely affect the viability and thevery existence of the pharmaceutical industry as a profitable sector in the country’s economy, and prevent pharmaceutical companies from conducting business as they have continued to do in the past,” he said. It is only because of the fundamental importance of these two clauses in the drug policy that the SLCPImake an appeal to the relevant authorities to reconsider their phrasing which in its current form can cost the industry the very viability of its existence.
