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The Advertising Evaluation Sub Committee of the NMRA regulates advertisements - printed and electronic material - related to medicines, devices, borderline products to ensure such advertisements are ethical, accurate and appropriate.

Working definition & general rules 

Advertisement includes any representation by any means whatsoever, for the purpose of promoting directly or indirectly the manufacture, sale or disposal of any medicine medical device, borderline product.

  • Any person who wishes to advertise or promote a medicine, medical device, borderline product should get prior written approval of the Authority to do so.

  • Medicines, medical devices, borderline products should not be advertised or promoted to the general public for the treatment, prevention or cure of any of the prescribed diseases, disorders or abnormal physical states.

Our Scope & Responsibility 
  • Provide standards and general requirements that must be adhered to when producing commercials, infomercials and public service announcements, which are relevant to medicines, medical devices, and borderline products.
  • Scrutinize each advertisement and ensure it complies with the advertisement guidelines that are published in the NMRA website before granting approval or rejecting an application.
  • Provide assistance to applicants regarding general interpretation of advertising guidelines related to medicines, medical devices, and borderline products prior to advertise.
Procedure for applying approval for advertisements

All the applicants who which to obtain approval for the advertisement on medicines, medical device and borderline products should be followed below procedure.

1. Submit the duly filled application (Please mention email address correctly for sending evaluation sheet) along with copy of valid registration certificate, story board of the advertisement to the accepting counter on every Friday (From 9.00 am to 3.30 pm)for obtaining the payment note for processing fee (1000USD).

2.  Payment Receipt issued by account division should be submitted NMRA after the payment along with the application with following documents to accepting pharmacist (Every Friday from 9.00 am to 3.30 pm). Application should be submitted in a file. Accepting pharmacist accepts the application and assign a reference number. 

Documents need to be enclosed with application,

a. Duly filled and signed application

b. Copy of the valid registration certificates

c. 3 sets of printed copies/story board of the advertisement (If advertisement is containing any sound/ video, story board and 2 CD s including the video clip or sound clip need to be submitted)

d. Supportive documents (Clinical data, test report etc.) for proving any claims 

3. All the applications will be tabled to the committee (Once a month) and evaluation reports will be emailed to the applicants. 

4. Approved letters can be collected from the issuing counter.in the advertisements 

Applicants should consider the following when designing an advertisement:

  • Active Ingredient/s should be prominently mentioned. (Generic Name)
  • In the event of medicines, warning about over dosage
  • Any special warnings
  • Therapeutic claims 
  • Price of the product
120, Norris Canal Road, Colombo 10
 011-2687743
 info@nmra.gov.lk