The Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry has disclosed a staggering figure of 124 drugs failing quality tests in 2023, marking the highest number of quality failures recorded in a single year.
Among the drugs that did not meet quality standards, 55 were manufactured in India, 40 were produced locally, and the rest originated from countries such as China, Pakistan, Japan, Bangladesh, and others.
In response to the failed quality tests, some drugs have been withdrawn, withheld, or discontinued. Notably, in May, a record 35 batches of Flucloxacillin Cap were withdrawn, marking the highest number of batches withdrawn since 2017. This particular drug was manufactured by the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation in Ratmalana.
The Health Ministry reports a total of nearly 600 cases of drug quality failures since 2017, with the second-highest number of cases, 96, reported in 2019, and 86 drugs failing quality tests in 2022.
The year 2023 saw drug quality issues making headlines, with several reported complications and deaths associated with these failures.
