Stent prices set to come down drastically
Author(s): City Air Newsphoto: city air news Ludhiana, January 4, 2017: The coronary stent, common known as artificial heart valves, are set to become cheaper with the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) having decided to...
Ludhiana, January 4, 2017:
The coronary stent, common known as artificial heart valves, are set to become cheaper with the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) having decided to closely monitor the actual price and the cost at which it is sold to the patients. The prices are likely to come down within a few months only.
This was disclosed by former President, Punjab Medical Council (PMC) Dr GS Grewal and Dr Arun Mitra – Former Chairman Ethical Committee PMC after meeting the NPPA chairman Mr Bhupendra Singh in New Delhi yesterday. Dr Grewal led a delegation of the Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare (ADEH) yesterday.
Dr Grewal said, the anomalies in the difference between cost price and the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of the coronary stents is likely to be removed and their price to the patient to be reduced drastically. Result could be seen within a month, he said.
Dr Arun Mitra informed that the ADEH has demanded streamlining of prices of stents, implants, drugs, aids and other consumables used in medical care. In a consultative meeting with the chairman of the NPPA the ADEH delegation submitted to him documentary proof of huge difference in the cost price and the MRP which is the amount being charged from the patients for the stents and other items.
“This amounted to as high as 1000% in some cases. This is causing tremendous economic pressure on the patients”, Grewal said, while adding, that the delegation told the NPPA chairman that the cost of drugs and consumables forms about 67% of the total out of pocket expenditure on health.
The delegation empahsised that the coronary stenting is a life saving procedure and therefore it was important their price should be brought under Drug Price Control Order at par with the medicines as it is a cause of corruption in the medical practice.
The delegation demanded that the cost of the stents should be calculated on the basis of cost accountancy i.e cost involved in their production and the profit margin on these should not be more than 20% by the time it reaches the end user.
Delegation further demanded that to reduce pressure on the patients price of each stent should be displayed at the reception counter of the facility putting stents. Patient should be given choice of the stent with full scientific explanation, it said.
There should be separate bills of the stent to the patient mentioning details of the make. There should be regular audit of such facilities. The manufacturers should put the details of their product on the website along with its cost. The indigenous production should be encouraged and facilitated and till then import Duty and other taxes should be waived off, it urged the chairman.
The delegation was represented by Dr G S Grewal-former President Punjab Medical Council (PMC), Dr Arun Mitra-former Chairman Ethical Committee (PMC) and Senior Vice President of Indian Doctors for Pace and Development (IDPD), Dr Shakti Kumar Prabhaker- a well known Neuro Psychiatrist from Ludhiana, Dr Anil Pathak-Physician from Delhi and leading activist of IDPD and Miss Aastha Chaudhary and Miss Madura from Student wing of IDPD now studying at Safdarjung Hospital.