Lok Sabha Question No. 165 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Availability of Coronary Stents
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: SAUGATA ROY, RODMAL NAGAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION No. 165

## TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 14 th  March, 2017

## Availability of Coronary Stents

- *165. PROF. SAUGATA ROY, SHRI NAGAR RODMAL:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently slashed the price of coronary stents and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  complaint  regarding non-availability  of  stents  after  the  reduction  in  prices  and  if  so,  the details  thereof,  State-wise  along  with  the  steps  taken  to  ensure availability of stents in the market;
- (c)  whether  there  are  reports  that  the  manufacturers  of  stents  are trying  to  create  an  artificial  scarcity  of  bare  metal  and  drugeluting stents and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (d)  whether  the  manufacturers  and  importers  of  the  stents  have agreed to  arrange necessary  stock  of  the  item  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  CHEMICALS  &  FERTILIZERS  AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

(SHRI ANANTH KUMAR)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION No.  *165  to  be  answered  on  the  14th  March,  2017  regarding Availability of Coronary Stents

(a)  to  (d):  National  Pharmaceuticals  Pricing  Authority  (NPPA)  notified  the ceiling price of Coronary Stent vide its notification dated 13 th  February 2017 at  INR  7,260/-  for  Bare  Metal  Stent  and  INR  29,600/-  for  Drug  Eluting Stents  (DES)  including  metallic  DES  and  Bioresorbable  Vascular  Scaffold (BVS)/ Biodegradable Stents. The average MRP before this notification was INR 45,100 for Bare Metal Stent (BMS) and INR 121,400 for Drug Eluting Stent  (DES).  Price  regulation  has  brought  down  the  prices  of  stents  (BMS 74% and DES 85%).

No  actionable  complaint  regarding  shortage  of  Coronary  Stents  in  the market  has  been  received  by  Government  so  far.  However,  Government through NPPA is closely monitoring the situation and has alerted the  State Governments  and  State  Drugs  Controllers  to  monitor  the  availability  of stents.  NPPA  has  also  requested  aggrieved  persons  to  send  verifiable information/complaints on help line number  of NPPA, through online complaint  mechanism (Pharma Jan Samadhan) or on Whatsapp.  Industry has been apprised that all manufactures/importers are under legal obligation to maintain smooth production and supply of coronary stents of all brands which were available in the country before price cap.

NPPA has not received any report/references indicating that the manufacturers  of  stents  are  trying  to  create  an  artificial  scarcity  of  bare metal  and  drug  eluting  stents.  Even  though,  all  State  Governments  and State  Drug  Controllers  have  been  advised  to  exercise  the  power  of  entry, search and seizure as per Para 30 of Drug Price Control Order,2013 (DPCO, 2013) if manufacturers/importers/distributors try to create artificial shortage of stents. NPPA is regularly interacting with the manufacturers/importers in this regard and stent companies have assured to maintain the required level of availability.

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