The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) is a statutory body established in 1998, replacing the former Ceylon Medical Council. It is tasked with the regulation of the medical profession, upholding medical ethnical practices, standards of education and the safety of medical patients in Sri Lanka. Purpose The purpose of the SLMC is to "protect health care seekers by ensuring the maintenance of academic and professional standards, discipline and ethical practice by health professionals who are registered with it". History The SLMC was established as a statutory body by the Medical (Amendment) Act No. 40 of 1998 replacing the Ceylon Medical Council which in turn had been established by the Medical Council Ordinance No. 24 of 1924. On September 16, 2020, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the Minister of Health, appointed a committee to look into the actions of the Sri Lankan Medical Association requests to look into the Sri Lankan Medical Association's former Acting Assistant Registrar of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), Dr. Chandana Atapattu, by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA). Dr. Atapattu caused controversy after he reportedly shared confidential documents related to the SLMC to foreign parties regarding the acceptance of foreign degrees in the SLMC. This comes after questions by Russia when the SLMC removed 3 Russian universities of their SLMC Approved List without prior discussion, which the SLMC stated that the move was in error. On November 29, 2020, previous chairman Prof. Harendra De Silva and other colleagues were found to have violated many regulations and were subsequently dismissed from their respective roles. In replacement, University of Colombo professor and previous SLMA president Vajira Dissanayake was appointed. The action taken by the Minister of Health prompted opposition by AMS president, Dr. L. A. Ranasinghe. In a letter to Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Dr. Ranasignhe states that the 5 SLMC officials were removed prior to their end of their term of office, subsequently affecting the "stability, independence and reputation" of the SLMC. Functions The SLMC's major functions include: the registration of medical practitioners Doctors Dentists Pharmacists the assessment and recognition of overseas qualifications of medical practitioners Examinations Examination for Registration to Practise Medicine (ERPM) - for citizens of Sri Lanka who obtained their medical qualification from medical schools overseas per of Act No.16 of 1965 and Section 29(I)(b)(ii)(cc) of the Medical Ordinance. The purpose of the ERPM examination is to assess whether a candidate can approach medical practice