Immediate Establishment of Local Drug Quality Testing Lab Urged by GMOA
21-Dec-2025.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) questioned why neither the Ministry of Health nor the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) acted until investigations by Kandy Hospital were completed regarding the controversial imported drug Ondansetron.
They stressed that administering intravenously injected drugs contaminated with bacteria is a serious crime.
The GMOA urged the government to immediately establish a domestic laboratory for drug quality testing and to take strict action against officials who allowed substandard medicines into the country and failed in their duties.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the GMOA headquarters in Colombo on Dec 20, GMOA spokesperson Dr. Samil Wijesinghe said that on Dec 12 and 15, the NMRA issued circulars suspending the use of Ondansetron injections manufactured by the Indian company Maan Pharmaceuticals due to poor quality.
Subsequently, ten additional drugs from the same company were temporarily suspended.
The issue came to light after ICU patients at Kandy National Hospital developed infections. Seven patients were found to have identical bacterial infections, and investigations confirmed the presence of Rhizobium bacteria in the Ondansetron vials administered to them.
Reports indicate that two deaths occurred after using the drug, and similar incidents were reported at Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital in early December.
These drugs are administered to critically ill patients, including cancer patients. Administering contaminated intravenous drugs is a grave offense. Sri Lanka still lacks an internationally accredited quality assurance laboratory to test imported medicines, despite years of requests.
The GMOA demanded compensation for affected or deceased patients, immediate establishment of a domestic testing laboratory, and strict action against responsible officials. The drugs were imported in September, and a proper investigation is needed to determine how many patients were affected.
