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Bitter truth of Dakshitha & Rajapaksa’s ‘bitter gourd’ cancer meds
The Opposition is planning to raise a question in Parliament about two institutions that have obtained licenses from the Department of Ayurveda for the production of a medicine and a dietary supplement claiming to be for cancer by showing the same research results, Sri Lanka Mirror learns.
They are a capsule by the name ‘α-Elostera’ marketed by Ceylon Green Ayurveda Company as a solution for cancer and made from bitter gourd seeds and a food supplement released to the market as ‘LivingMo 600’ by Prime Health Herbal Products.
However, both the medicine and the food supplement have been made by using the research conducted by a team including Prof. Jayantha Rajapaksa and Professor Anura Jayasuriya of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Peradeniya University where they have purportedly discovered anticancer activity of bitter gourd seeds.
When Professor Jayantha Rajapaksa is producing the capsule as a food supplement, one Dakshitha Thilanga Sumathipala, a businessman who has no relation to the research, has obtained a license to manufacture the capsule as a medicine.
Experts in the Ayurvedic field said that giving approval by the Ayurveda Formulary Committee for both these endeavors is ludicrous.
Meanwhile, Ceylon Green Ayurveda has blatantly violated several terms set by the Department of Ayurveda when manufacturing the capsule.
The sign board of the ‘Ceylon Green Cancer Wellness Center’ operated by the company located near the Apeksha Hospital to sell this capsule, has not mentioned that it is an Ayurvedic medicine shop.
Accordingly, they have deliberately misled the patients.
An Ayurvedic dispensary must have personnel registered with the Ayurvedic Department and only they can prescribe medicine.
However, the clip below shows how those who contact the company’s phone number can get medicines prescribed by one of its salespersons.
Dakshitha’s Ceylon Green Ayurveda has published advertisements to promote the capsule on the internet without the permission of the Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, the Ayurveda Formulary Committee has given permission for the capsule and the food supplement when there has been no mention in traditional books on indigenous medicine that bitter gourd has anticancer qualities.
If Professor Rajapaksa intends to use the research results for a product with commercial purposes, he must obtain the permission from the University of Peradeniya which facilitated the research.
Doing so would enable the university to receive an economic advantage but it was revealed during our investigation that there has been no such advantage.
Although Professor Rajapaksa said that the capsule was subjected to a clinical trial post-production, the Ministry of Health and the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) told us that they do not have any evidence of such a clinical trial.
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50th ordination anniversary of Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, held (Pics)
President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that the life of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith serves as an exemplary model in an era when the moral and spiritual values of society are in decline.
The President made these remarks yesterday (July 07), delivering a speech at the felicitation ceremony organized by the Archdiocese of Colombo to mark the 50th Ordination Anniversary of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith’s sacred priesthood. The event was held at the Archbishop’s House in Colombo.
The President stated that His Eminence is deeply engaged in a tireless mission to uphold social harmony and spiritual upliftment. He is a statesman who has rendered a significant service to the country, a theological scholar capable of articulating the teachings of the Bible with clarity, a powerful orator with the ability to awaken society and above all, a true humanitarian whose influence extends beyond these roles.
The President further affirmed that every possible step will be taken to ensure justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, without allowing the passage of time to obscure the truth. He emphasized that this is a challenge the government must confront, even within its own institutions and no matter how difficult it may be, justice must be served.
Addressing the gathering, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith reflected on his 50 years of priestly service and commended President Anura Kumara Disanayake for his success in ending a 75-year era of autocratic rule. He also expressed appreciation for the President’s efforts to dismantle a political culture rooted in spreading division among ethnic communities and emphasized the need for a new approach as the country moves towards becoming a prosperous nation.
On this occasion, to mark the 50th Ordination Anniversary of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith’s priesthood, a commemorative stamp and first-day cover were officially presented to the President.
His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith was born in 1947 in the Polgahawela area of Kurunegala. He was ordained as a priest on June 29, 1975, at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, by Pope Paul VI. Thereafter, he served in various roles including Assistant Parish Priest, Acting Parish Priest, Lecturer in theology and professor at the seminary. He is proficient in multiple languages including Sinhala, Tamil, English, German, French, Spanish and Indonesian.
In 1991, under the leadership of then-Archbishop His Eminence Nicholas Marcus Fernando, he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo, with his episcopal ordination taking place at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka in Tewatte.
Subsequently, on June 16, 2009, Malcolm Ranjith was appointed as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo. A year later, on November 20, 2010, he was elevated to the rank of Cardinal at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence in Italy. With this appointment, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith became the second Sri Lankan to receive the blessing of holding the title of Cardinal. He has held numerous positions both nationally and internationally, including serving as chair of several international assemblies.
His Eminence has been the recipient of numerous international accolades, including the Thomas Aquinas Medal for Religious Studies awarded by the Thomas Aquinas College in the United States and the 7th Giuseppe Sciacca International Award for Cultural Achievement, conferred in 2008 by the President of the Italian Republic. A respected writer as well, he has contributed a multitude of articles to journals and newspapers.
Ven. Anunayaka of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero and Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Nayaka Thero extended their wishes during the occasion.
The event was also graced by the Maha Sangha of the three Nikayas, religious leaders from all faiths, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, the Charge de Affairs of the Apostolic Nunciature Msgr. Roberto Lucchini, Auxiliary Bishops of Colombo Most Rev. Maxwell Silva and Most Rev. Anthony Jayakody, other Catholic clergy, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, several Ministers and Members of Parliament, Commanders of the Tri-Forces, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Ambassadors and many other distinguished invitees.
(President’s Media Division)
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Wazeeth sworn in as SLMC MP
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No-faith motion against Speaker?
50th ordination anniversary of Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, held (Pics)
Wazeeth sworn in as SLMC MP
