Hyderabad: Price cap on drug stents opposed

Hyderabad: The decision of the Union government bringing drug-eluting stents under Schedule 1 of the Drug Price Control Order 2013 has met with stiff resistance from the medical devices industry. Industry representatives said the decision would affect patients.

Drug-eluting stents are used in 93 per cent of the patients, as its treatment outcomes are good. Each of these stents costs Rs 1.5 lakh apiece, against Rs 50,000 for a metal stent. In a bid to control the prices, the government is planning to bring down the price of drug-eluting stents to Rs 25,000.

The medical devices industry said this would hamper evolution of the sector. “Innovative and vital life-saving drugs must not be brought under the broad brush of drug rules as it will not serve the purpose,” a senior member of the association said. “We have already agreed to the CGHS for an approved rate of Rs 25,000 for the state and Central government reimbursement schemes. We want the government to use scientific rationale in the decision-making,” he said.

The medical devices industry said this would hamper evolution of the sector. “Innovative and vital life-saving drugs must not be brought under the broad brush of drug rules as it will not serve the purpose,” a senior member of the association said. “We have already agreed to the CGHS for an approved rate of '25,000 for the state and Central government reimbursement schemes. We want the government to use scientific rationale in the decision-making,” he said.

The government has received complaints that 20 per cent of the patients who were operated upon did not require angioplasties.