Subsequent to discontinuation request by cardiac stent manufacturers for withdrawal of stents from Indian market citing commercial non-viability, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has assured the patients of consistent availability of cardiac stents at prices stipulated as per the government price fixation notification.

NPPA also met the association of hospitals recently to address their concerns regarding the margin affected post the price capping notification dated February 14, 2017.

“Government after a series of meetings with the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) and cardiologists in 2015 came out with the conclusion that all cardiac stents are of the same quality and accordingly capped the price as per Schedule 1 of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) after incorporating in the national list of essential medicines,” explained NPPA Chairman Bhupendra Singh.

Following which Advocate Birender Sangwan’s PIL led to slashing of prices of cardiac stents this year in February. This was a huge relief for many cardiac patients across the country as the ceiling price of bare metal stents was brought down to Rs.7,260 from Rs.45,000; and that of drug eluting stents were fixed at Rs.29,600 from about a whopping Rs.1.2 lakh. Clearly there was much profiteering happening on the sale of stents.

On February 14, NPPA announced cut in prices of coronary stents by up to 85% by capping them at Rs.7,260 for bare metal ones and Rs.29,600 for drug eluting variety.

The step was taken to fix a standardised specification of stent and its MRP to stop fleecing of patients. NPPA had written to all the chief secretaries to ensure compliance of stents price capping, its availability and uninterrupted cardiac care services. The government brought in important reforms such as the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) in 2011 and also issued the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after a series of audits in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, as directed by drug pricing regulator NPPA, is going to audit more hospitals in the near future as part of its larger plan to detect overpricing of stents in government and private hospitals subsequent to NPPA receiving complaints about stents being sold at higher prices at KEM Hospital, Lilavati Hospital and a few hospitals in Pune and Nashik.

NPPA has directed hospitals/nursing homes/clinics utilizing coronary stents shall specifically and separately mention the cost of the coronary stent along with its brand name, name of the manufacturer/importer/batch number and other details, if any, in their billing to the patients or their representatives.