The President commencing the debate said that this Bill was created based on the National Pharmaceutical Policy of  Professor Senaka Bibile. The Bill got misplaced before it was to be presented to the cabinet of the previous government. The president said that according to information received 2.5 million rupees had been collected by certain officials from 400 pharmaceutical companies  but no one knows what happened to that money.  No investigation was carried out against the officer for five long years.

The establishment of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority is the key point of the Bill as the Authority will  regulate the manufacture, distribution, registration, and licensing  of medicinal drugs and devices, President Sirisena emphasised.

President Sirisena also expressed his disappointment on the delay in implementing the bill before.   
 

President Sirisena called for shortcomings in the Draft Bill to be pointed out during the debate and called for the support of all parties in approving the Bill.
 

Meanwhile, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that this is a practical and realistic Bill.