NPPA Approves Hike In Prices Of Coronary Stents
4.2 percent hike is in-line with the wholesale price index of the previous calendar year.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has approved hike in prices of cardiac stents by 4.2 percent, in line with the wholesale price index of the previous calendar year, as per an official statement.
As per the new prices notified by the drug price regulator, a bare metal stent would now cost Rs 8,261, while the drug-eluting stent will cost Rs 30,080.
The drug pricing authority had earlier revised the prices of stents in February last year. It had increased the prices of bare metal stents to Rs 7,660 from Rs 7,400. On the other hand, it had reduced the price of drug-eluting stents to Rs 27,890 from Rs 30,180.
Providing a major relief to lakhs of cardiac patients, the government had for the first time cut prices of life-saving coronary stents by up to 85 percent in February 2017.
Bare metal stents used to cost as much as Rs 45,000 and drug-eluting stents Rs 1.21 lakh prior to the imposition of the price cap in February 2017.
A coronary stent is a tube-shaped device placed in the arteries that supplies blood to heart. It keeps the arteries open in the treatment of coronary heart diseases.
The NPPA also said in a separate statement that it has revised ceiling/retail prices of 871 formulations under Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013.