NPPA asks hospitals, doctors to report stents shortage

New Delhi: Drug price regulator NPPA today asked hospitals and doctors to report shortage of stents as part of its measures to ensure availability of the medical device in the wake of price cap.

"Hospitals/doctors finding any shortage of stents of any company and/or any brand should inform NPPA which will ensure supplies," the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said in a tweet.

The regulator has been taking several steps to ensure stents are available under its prescribed price list as reports emerged that there were shortages in the market.

Last week, NPPA had warned hospitals, stent manufacturers and importers of legal action in case they are found spreading "misinformation" about shortage of the medical device after the regulator capped the prices of stents.

NPPA also asked stents manufacturers and their distributors to align their system according to the new price list.

"Drug companies need to restructure their stents trading and supply channel to work within 8 per cent maximum trade margin without circumventing it," it said in a separate tweet.

It had earlier said in a memorandum that as trade margin of 8 per cent is included in the ceiling price of stents, no additional charge except local sales taxes and VAT can be demanded from patients.

The 8 per cent margin also adequately covers hospital handling charges, if any, the regulator had said.

The drug price regulator said it has received complaints against Anand Hospital in Meerut Uttar Pradesh and King Edward Hospital at Parel in Mumbai for overcharging.

In a major relief to patients, the NPPA last week slashed prices of coronary stents by up to 85 per cent, capping them at Rs 7,260 for bare metal ones and Rs 29,600 for the drug eluting variety.