New Delhi: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has approved a hike in prices of two Coronary stents by 0.53638 per cent, in line with the wholesale price index for the year 2020 over 2019, as per official notification.
According to the new prices notified by the drug price regulator, one unit of Bare Metal Stents will now cost Rs 8,462, while Drug-Eluting Stents (DES) including metallic DES and Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS)/ Biodegradable Stents will cost Rs 30,811 per unit.
The hike in the ceiling price of two coronary stents is at a marginal rate, however, it is likely to affect many cardiac patients during the ongoing crisis. A coronary stent is a tube-shaped device placed in the arteries that supplies blood to the heart. It keeps the arteries open in the treatment of coronary heart diseases.
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As per the new index, Rs 165 will be increased for the high-grade bypass stents that cost Rs 30,647 and the revised price will touch Rs 30,812. Bare-metal stent price will go up from Rs 8417 to Rs 8462, reports Mathrubhumi.
This came in continuation of the notifications issued by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers vide S.O. 639(E) dated 12.02.2018, S.O. 1464(E) dated 02.04.2018, S.O. 1488(E) dated 29.03.2019 and SO. 1217(E) dated 25.03.2020 regarding the fixation of ceiling price of the Coronary Stents as specified in column no. (2) mentioned in the table below; after considering the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) @ 0.53638 per cent for the year 2020 over 2019, it has been decided to revise the ceiling prices of Coronary Stents as mentioned in column no. (4) in the table below, exclusive of Goods and Services Tax as applicable, and unit specified in column (3) with effect from 01.04.2021, as under:
Sl No
Coronary Stents
( Sl No. 31 in Schedule-I of the DPCO, 2013)
Unit
(in Number)
Ceiling Price (in Rs.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
1
Bare Metal Stents
1
8462
2
Drug-Eluting Stents (DES) including metallic DES and Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS)/ Biodegradable Stents
1
30811
The notification further added;
(a) All the existing manufacturers/importers of Coronary Stents having MRP lower than the ceiling price specified in column (4) in the above table (plus Goods and Services Taxes as applicable, if any), may revise the existing MRP of Coronary Stent, on the basis of WPI @ 0.53638% for the year 2020 in accordance with Paragraph 16(2) of DPCO, 2013, read with Para 13(2) of DPCO, 2013.
(b) The manufacturers/importers of Coronary Stents may add Goods and Services Taxes only if they have paid actually or if it is payable to the Government on the ceiling price mentioned in column (4) of the aforesaid table.
(c) As per Para 24(4) of DPCO 2013, every retailer and dealer shall display price list and the supplementary price list, if any, as furnished by the manufacturer/importers, on a conspicuous part of the premises where he carries on business in a manner so as to be easily accessible to any person wishing to consult the same.
(d) The manufacturers not complying with the ceiling price and notes specified hereinabove shall be liable to deposit the overcharged amount along with interest thereon under the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 read with Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
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