The controversy over the price cap of coronary stents took a fresh turn, with the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) tweeting a link to an order issued by the pricing regulator in February. Invoking the emergency clause of the Drug Price Control Order, 2013, the order, issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, instructs companies manufacturing stents—in particular, Abbott Healthcare—to maintain production/import/supply of the coronary stents, and to submit weekly reports on stents produced and distributed.
The reminder by the NPPA came in the wake of Abbott Healthcare announcing that it would be pulling out two of its latest generation stents from the market, including the bio-absorbable stent. Another multinational Medtronic too announced its decision to withdraw its latest stents from the market, citing the price control issue.
The NPPA's reminder notwithstanding, the Medical Technology Association of India (MTAI) insists that while they are not against price control on stents, differential pricing for various categories of stents ensures that "quality and innovation are rewarded to keep that segment attractive and viable".
Members of MTAI, an association of medical technology companies, said in a press statement that the National List of Essential Medicines concluded that the later generations of stents are not superior to earlier generations, and based on this, the NPPA has decided on one price for all Drug Eluting Stents (DES).
According to the price cap on stents, the ceiling price of bare metal stents had been fixed at Rs 7,260, and that of drug eluting stents and biodegradable stents at Rs 29,600.
"If all DES are the same, the industry should have some freedom in deciding which stents to market, as long as a broad range is still available. If in hindsight, the authorities feel that some DES are better than others, then there is a case for categorization of stents which is the main point which we have made to the NLEM, and continue to do so," the statement said.
Ever since prices of coronary stents were capped in February, the NPPA has been taking several measures to ensure that the order is followed. At least 40 hospitals are under the regulator's scanner for overcharging patients for coronary stents.
