Heart stents to get cheaper in India; medical devices industry frowns at move

Friday, July 22, 2016

India would soon reduce the prices of stents used in procedures for treatment of heart ailments. The union health ministry on Wednesday added coronary stents to the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2015, which would now face a reduction in prices.

The prices of essential drugs used in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, HIV, coronary heart diseases and hypertension were reduced by the government earlier this year.

The union health ministry has indicated that many other drugs and even medical devices would be brought under price control. The move to bring down the prices of stents comes on expected lines, since a Rajya Sabha committee, after taking feedback from various stakeholders, had said last month that the reduction in the prices of stents is crucial to safeguarding the patients’ interests and the industry.

However, the decision has not gone down well with the medical devices industry, which has been demanding separate regulations for medical devices.

Source: International Business Times (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Health Care
Tags
regulations