Reports say that a special investigation has been launched over a 2,000 Mn fraud committed at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA).

Committed in 2015, legal action against those responsible have not yet been taken due to close links with the Board of Directors of the institute.

A medicinal drug's efficacy is usually monitored for a minimum of 300 days, prior to NMRA approval for importation. However, a Russian drug 'Tracsulane' was given approval after just a 14 person trial in Russia and within 2 days of the samples arriving in Sri Lanka, in 2015.

The company responsible for the order placement, Pharmace, is said to have links with the Board of Directors, as revealed following investigations into the matter.

The COPE committee too is said to begin investigations in to the incident.

Source: Silumina