Strict price monitoring of medical equipment following STENT fixed price
Posted on: 15/May/2017 3:03:37 PM
Following the STENT price regulation for medical equipment, the regulatory authority to fix the price of medical procedures has planned to reduce the prices of 19 medical equipments.
The regulatory authority has been closely monitoring the price trends. It has ordered the manufacturers/traders to furnish the price list before the end of May.
The national medicine price regulatory authority has been fixing the maximum permissible price of all medicines listed as essential.
Presently, it has revised the prices of the essential medicines. The list of essential medicine includes the acidity control medicine and others. The authority has informed that the prices of some medicines have been revised as per the medicine price control Amendment Act. The maximum price of a particular medicine has also been fixed.
Henceforth, the medicines have to be sold as per the list released by the authority. The prices of other medicines which are not included in this list may be revised with an increase of 10 percent per year on the retail price.
The price regulatory authority ordered reduction of up to 85 percent in the price of STENT, the equipment used in heart surgeries to remove the blood flow blocks during last February.
Accordingly, the price of the equipment STENT was fixed in the range of Rs. 7260 – Rs. 29600. Earlier, these equipment had been sold in the price range of Rs. 23615 – Rs. 2 Lakhs.
Generally, the annual trade of these equipment is worth around Rs. 2200 Crores. It was informed by the regulatory that there are no immediate plans to regulate the prices of other medical equipment in the near future. However, in a reversal of the trend, the price regulatory authority has now asked for the price details of 19 other medical equipments.
The persons in the related circle shared information that the price details of 19 medical equipments including the one-time use syringe/needle, the cement used for linking bones, surgical dress, the equipment in use for HIV treatment,and the equipment used for joints treatment, and the heart valve treatment.
The authorities have ordered that the price details of above 19 medical equipments must be furnished before 31st May.
A consultant of the price regulatory authority has sent letters to the medicine sales federations and associations stating that discussions and consultations are being held regarding the price control of medical equipment with all related industrial associations. So, the existing price list of specified medical equipment must be furnished.
