Healthcare
Private hospitals, clinics, laboratories, diagnostic centres and other healthcare providers in Sri Lanka operate alongside an extensive public health system and must meet registration, licensing and professional standards while investing in facilities, equipment and people. Patient safety, the confidentiality of health information and the relationship between providers and medical professionals all carry particular legal weight.
We act for hospital groups, healthcare-services businesses, investors, insurers and professional organisations.
How we help
We advise healthcare providers on matters including:
- Establishment, registration and licensing of healthcare institutions
- Investment, acquisitions and joint ventures in hospitals and clinics
- Development, construction and leasing of healthcare facilities
- Arrangements with consultants, visiting specialists and other professionals
- Medical-equipment procurement, leasing and maintenance
- Health information, confidentiality and data protection
- Telemedicine and digital-health services
- Procurement and public-sector contracting
- Employment and workplace matters
- Patient complaints, medical-negligence claims and disputes
Industry experience
We advise private hospitals, clinics, laboratories and diagnostic centres, healthcare-services and digital-health businesses, investors and professional organisations. Our work ranges from establishment and investment to the contracts, workforce and patient-related questions that arise in running a healthcare business, as well as the resolution of disputes. Where patient records and other health information are concerned, we draw on our Data Protection & Privacy practice.
Pharmaceuticals
Medicines and medical devices in Sri Lanka must be registered with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, which oversees their manufacture, importation, storage, distribution and promotion. Pharmaceutical businesses must also take account of price controls on certain medicines and of public procurement processes, and plan for regulatory requirements across a product’s lifecycle while protecting their intellectual property and managing supply and distribution relationships.
We act for multinational and local pharmaceutical and medical-device companies, manufacturers, importers, distributors and pharmacies.
How we help
We advise pharmaceutical businesses on matters including:
- Product registration, licensing and regulatory compliance
- Local manufacturing, contract-manufacturing and technology-transfer arrangements
- Importation, distribution, agency and supply agreements
- Advertising, promotion, labelling and product communications
- Pricing and public-procurement tenders
- Patents, trade marks and protection against counterfeit products
- Competition and distribution issues
- Pharmacovigilance, product recalls and regulatory investigations
- Acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic collaborations
- Product-liability and commercial disputes
Industry experience
We advise pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturers, importers and distributors, pharmacy chains, investors and professional associations. Our work may involve a product from initial investment and regulatory planning through commercialisation, distribution and ongoing compliance, and we support corporate transactions involving regulated pharmaceutical businesses. Where matters involve international product portfolios or cross-border investment, we coordinate with overseas counsel and regulatory consultants to provide consistent Sri Lankan legal support.
Life Sciences
Life-sciences organisations, including biotechnology businesses, research institutions, clinical research organisations, laboratories and diagnostics developers, depend on innovation, collaboration and access to data and biological samples. Their work raises questions about research ethics and approvals, ownership of results, the protection and commercialisation of intellectual property, and the handling of sensitive personal and health data.
We act for biotechnology and diagnostics businesses, research sponsors, contract research organisations, universities and investors.
How we help
We advise life-sciences clients on matters including:
- Clinical-trial, research and sponsorship agreements
- Research collaborations, consortium and material-transfer agreements
- Ownership, protection and licensing of intellectual property
- Technology transfer and commercialisation of research
- Regulatory pathways for diagnostics, biologics and novel products
- Health data, sample handling and data protection
- Investment, venture funding and strategic partnerships
- Confidentiality, employment and inventor arrangements
- Disputes over research, licensing and collaboration arrangements
Industry experience
We advise biotechnology and diagnostics companies, contract research organisations, research sponsors, universities, laboratories and investors. Our work ranges from structuring research and collaboration arrangements to protecting and licensing innovations, advising on regulatory and data questions and resolving disputes, as well as investment in early-stage life-sciences businesses. Where research or products cross borders, we coordinate with overseas counsel and technical advisers, and we work closely with our Intellectual Property practice.
