No ban on Pakistani medicines, says Sri Lanka

Alert warning issued to doctors, hospitals not to administer isosorbide-5-monoritrate 20 mg imported from Pakistan.

COLOMBO:

The Sri Lankan Director General Health Services Dr UA Mendis clarified on Thursday that “so far, there is no ban on import of medicines from Pakistan.”

“An alert warning, however, has been issued to doctors and hospitals not to administer or prescribe isosorbide-5-monoritrate 20 mg imported from Pakistan,” he added.

“Presently we are carrying out a through investigation and checking the supply and stock position from the importers and stockists,” he said, adding that according to his information “no such stock is available in hospitals or drug stores.”

Earlier, head of the country’s drug regulatory authority Hemantha Beneragama had said that the isosorbide-5-mononitrate 20 mg drug manufactured in Pakistan cannot be used in Sri Lanka.

Beneragama had added that the same drug manufactured elsewhere was safe to use.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2012.