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Public complaints prompt hand sanitiser regulation; NMRA registration a must
A stream of public complaints led to the decision to regulate the import, manufacture and sale of hand sanitsers, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) says.
The CAA this week issued an extraordinary gazette, making National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) registration mandatory for the import, production, storage, distribution and sale of hand sanitizers.
The December 30 dated gazette issued by CAA Chairman Maj. General Shantha Dissanayake states that the NMRA registration number should be displayed in a conspicuous place of the pack or container of such hand sanitizer.
CAA Director Samanthaa Karunaratne told the Sunday Times the decision was taken following public complaints and requests to ensure the quality of hand sanitizers sold in the country.
“Before issuing a registration number, the NMRA will quality check the product to ensure that it complies with the standards set by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution. The gazette empowers the CAA to check, conduct raids and make sure that inferior products do not enter the market,” she said.
Action will be taken against violators in terms of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 09 of 2003. If a person violates the law, he or she will be produced before courts and fined between Rs. 1000 and 10,000. If it is a company, the fine for the first time offence will range between Rs. 10,000 to 100,000.
“We will be giving a grace period till February 1. For those who have already had their labels printed we have requested them to paste a sticker with the NMRA registration number clearly displayed,” Ms. Karunaratne said.