Stent prices raised by 4.3 per cent

Chennai: National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has revised the upper ceiling of coronary stents by 4.26 per cent in line with the wholesale price Index. As per the revised rates, a bare metal stent (BMS) would now cost up to Rs 8,261, while the drug eluting stent (DES) will cost Rs 30,080.

"After considering the Wholesale Price Index of 4.2662 per cent for the year 2018 over 2017, it has been decided to revise the ceiling prices of coronary stents, exclusive of Goods and Services Tax, with effect from April 1, 2019," NPPA said in a statement.

The drug pricing authority had earlier revised the prices of stents in February last year. It had increased the prices of bare metal stents from Rs 7,400 to Rs 7,660. However, it had reduced the price of DES to Rs 27,890 from Rs 30,180.

Earlier in February 2017, the government had intervened in the pricing of stents for the first time and cut prices by up to 85 per cent.

Then BMS used to cost as much as Rs 45,000 and DES Rs 1,21 lakh.

"This move is reflective of the growing understanding in the government of the inflationary pressures that the medical device industry is facing. This news is heartening but not enough," said Pavan Choudary, DG and Chairman of the Medical Technology Association of India.