- See whether the pharmacy is licensed by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA); the licence should be on display. Also, a list of licensed pharmacies is accessible via homepage
- See whether the drugs are dispensed under the supervision of a pharmacist; a photograph of the pharmacist is included in the license
- See whether the pharmacy is air-conditioned; certain medicinal products are not stable at our room temperature.
- See whether the items such as vaccines which require refrigeration are kept accordingly; and a bottle cooler will not serve the purpose. Also, no food items should be kept with medicines, in the same refrigerator
- Do not request for medicines prescribed to you earlier, without consulting your doctor again and, without a valid prescription
- If the prescription is illegible or caused any doubt in the dispensing pharmacist, do not hesitate to contact the doctor who prescribed the medicines for clarification
- Observe the dates of expiry of the medicines purchased by you and ensure that they are valid for the duration of your treatment
- Observe whether any of the products bear the State logo or any other mark such as SR number, DHS or FHB, indicating that the product has been pilfered from the State
- You can verify the registration status of the purchased medicines by browsing the list of registered products, which is accessible from the Homepage of this website
- Ensure that the medicines are appropriately packed and labeled with the generic name and brand name (if available) of the medicine, name of the patient and instructions for use
- Make sure that the instructions for use are clear to you.
- Obtain a receipt of payment for all the products purchased by you
Guidelines for Community Pharmacy Practice
You can make complaints against any establishment or person carrying out unhealthy practices or illegal activities pertaining to medicines to:
Chief Executive Officer,
National Medicines Regulatory Authority,
No: 120, Norris Canal Road,
Colombo 10.
T/P: 2698896/7
Fax: 2689704