Sri Lankan OTC market "poised for growth"

Over-the-counter drug sales account for around 20% of Sri Lanka's $242million pharmaceuticals market, with growth currently held back by prices and the banning of simple combination products, reports Nicholas Hall & Co's Far East Focus journal. While under-the-counter sales of prescription drugs are illegal, the practice is very common, and this could serve to illustrate that several safe and relatively mild-acting products, such as ibuprofen, could be switched to OTC status, it adds.

Despite these problems, the market is poised for growth as consumers' growing awareness of self-medication creates demand, says the report, adding that: "it can be assumed that such demands will be powerful enough to force changes to the rules of the game."