“
A correction and price
regulation in this market
was long overdue and
AIMED supports
governments move to finally
put a cap on the MRP’s
which shall ensure fair
practices in this important
sector which was plagued
with exorbitant prices
charged from ignorant
helpless patients.
Mr Rajiv Nath, Forum
Coordinator, Association
of Indian Medical
Devices Industry (AIMED)
KEY FACTS:
The decision has received support
from the indigenous medical
technology manufacturers and
consumer activists who feel that
the long awaited move of
government to step in to control
the high prices of cardiac Stents
shall bring relief for many poor
patients for whom the cost of
affording a drug eluting Stent had
become prohibitive. “A correction
and price regulation in this
market was long overdue and
AIMED supports governments
move to finally put a cap on the
MRP’s which shall ensure fair
practices in this important sector
which was plagued with
exorbitant prices charged from
ignorant helpless patients” said
Mr Rajiv Nath, Forum
Coordinator, AIMED Association of Indian Medical
Devices Industry, (the apex body
representing domestic medical
devices manufacturers).
“We applaud the efforts of the
health ministry to take this bold
step to cap Prices of Stents which
will serve a larger patient
interest. DES are lifesaving and
patient have little knowledge to
select the Stents. Moreover, the
time given by the Physicians to
the patients is very less since most
of the time Cardiologists insist the
relatives to take the decision
regarding the choice of Stent
while the patient is on table inside
the Cath lab. We strongly believe
that this move shall break the
Industry-Doctor nexus and will
force hospitals to be transparent
with the prices of Stents. Also
such surgeries and use of devices
should also be used rationally and
with proper due diligence on the
treatment method,” mentioned
Mr Bejon Misra, Founder Patient Safety and Access
Initiative of India Foundation.
“The Indian companies like
Translumina and Meril have huge
capacities and have already
achieved close to 20 percent
market share within 5 years of
their launch. Their DES have been
proven non-inferior to their
American counterparts in large
clinical studies performed in
Europe. I have been using the
Indian Stents from the last 8
years and have satisfactory results
in my patients. I appeal to the
Government to further support
the “Make in India” idea of these
• As per various reports, the current Indian market is around 5.50 lakh
Stents per annum out of which more than 90 percent are Drug Eluting
Stents (DES).
• The Stent market is growing at a speed of around 15 percent every
year and is expected to become the second largest market in the
World after China by 2020.
• Currently, Cardiac and Drug Eluting Stents are notified as ‘Drugs’
under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• The health being a state subject in India, the data regarding annual
requirements of Stents in our country is not complied centrally.
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