COLOMBO, July 24 -- Sri Lanka's Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has taken legal action against 23 private hospitals and medical laboratories after investigations uncovered the use and storage of expired medicines and chemicals, overcharging for laboratory services and other violations of consumer protection laws.

The CAA said courts have imposed a total of Rs 5.798 million in fines in relation to the 23 cases filed so far following a series of island-wide inspections targeting private hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies.

The investigations revealed several serious irregularities, including the use of expired chemicals in diagnostic and laboratory testing, the storage and use of expired medicines for patient care and sale, charging l...