Alternative Medicine for COVID-19

A reply to letter by Prof. Rohini Fernandopulle

I wish to bring the following facts for your kind attention. In August 2020, for the first time in history, the State Ministry of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply & Regulation was established in Sri Lanka. I believe this was a progressive step to develop the pharmaceutical industry in Sri Lanka. Subsequently, as the State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation, I have inaugurated and implemented many activities to promote local production, and distribution of pharmaceuticals, and also to strengthen the regulatory framework.

I am yet to receive a word of appreciation from the Sri Lanka Association of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (SLACPT). This deafening silence can be attributed to the fact that some of your membership does not approve the decisions made to blacklist and bar the politically motivated corrupt businesses that had infested the local market. I am well aware that some members had maintained a very close relationship with those business entities.

It is interesting to note that the Facebook page of SLACPT that was inactive for several months, who had not contributed by word or deed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the last post was on 16th March 2020, has suddenly awakened, published and propagated misinformation on 1st November 2020.

Also, I was informed that several members of SLACPT are instigating other organizations, newspapers and websites to publish the misinformation. Some members of your association embarked on vilifying and discrediting me, and the Government of Sri Lanka.

I would like to state that a team of professional and credible academics including Dr Saroja Weerakoon & Prof. Kamal Perera (Institute of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo), Prof. Dulani Gunasekara (Pediatrician, University of Sri Jayewardenepura) and Prof. T S Suresh (Department of Biochemistry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura) had researched “Sudarshana Syrup”. I was not a part of this research group or the study. I along with the Hon. State Minister Sisira Jayakodi, Secretary to the Ministry & the Director of the IDH hospital met with this team at my office. When requested, I undertook to facilitate a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) in the State Sector. Thereafter, I directed the director of the IDH hospital to discuss the possibility of conducting the RCT, with the consultants attached to IDH.

During this meeting, I categorically emphasized the procedure to be followed before the syrup can be prescribed by the allopathic doctors. However, if the drug is in the Ayurveda pharmacopoeia, there will be no restrictions for Ayurveda practitioners to prescribe the said drug. Hence, it is an unnecessary request to “reconsider the decision to recommend the use of this drug” because this decision was not taken. Per my knowledge, this drug is still not produced commercially; therefore there was no point to worry Prof. Fernandopulle, concerning “increase of the sale”

I feel this letter is unprofessional and is motivated by a third party. I would like to know if all the listed office bearers and the council members are aware that this letter has been directed to me or is this just the personal opinion of Prof. Fernandopulle. If she had a concern about the publications on media and social media on “Sudarshana Syrup”, as a professional, I would expect her to clear the issues with me before publishing such a biased, unfair and destructive letter, based on nothing but distorted and misquoted facts. Further, SLACPT would contact Prof Asita de Silva, President elect of their association for an elucidation. He is the chairman of NMRA, which is under my purview, hence we regularly meet for official matters.

I earnestly request SLACPT to creatively and constructively contribute to the new program to create a self-sufficient nation with pharmaceuticals and the mission of controlling COVID-19, rather than issuing destructive and misleading letters.

CHANNA JAYASUMANA

State minister