* Sri Lanka State Pharmaceutical Corporation to produce thyroxin
Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 07:41 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Mar 17, Colombo: Sri Lanka Ministry of Health has initiated a programme to locally produce thyroxin tablets that will meet international standards.

The first batch of thyroxin tablets produced by the State Pharmaceutical Corporation is to be released to hospitals in early April, a spokesman of the Ministry of Health said.

Three companies in the world produce thyroxin but Sri Lanka was not given priority in sales since the country has a small market for their products causing a severe shortage in government hospitals for over a year.

According to the Ministry spokesman, the yearly requirement of the country is 24 million tablets per year.

The Japanese government has provided funds to establish the SPMC's manufacturing plant.