National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, NPPA has asked the hospitals and doctors to report shortage of stents to ensure availability of the medical device in the wake of price cap.<br/><br/>The drug price 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. <br/><br/>Last week, the NPPA had warned hospitals, stent manufacturers and importers of legal action in case they are found spreading misinformation about shortage of stents. It also asked stents manufacturers and their distributors to align their system according to the new price list. <br/><br/>In a tweet, the NPPA also said that drug companies need to restructure their stents trading and supply channel to work within 8 per cent maximum trade margin without circumventing it. It had also said, the 8 per cent margin also adequately covers hospital handling charges.<br/><br/>In a major relief to patients, the NPPA had slashed prices of coronary stents by up to 85 per cent, capping them at 7,260 rupees for bare metal ones and 29,600 rupees for the drug eluting variety.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, NPPA has asked the hospitals and doctors to report shortage of stents to ensure availability of the medical device in the wake of price cap.<br/><br/>The drug price 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. <br/><br/>Last week, the NPPA had warned hospitals, stent manufacturers and importers of legal action in case they are found spreading misinformation about shortage of stents. It also asked stents manufacturers and their distributors to align their system according to the new price list. <br/><br/>In a tweet, the NPPA also said that drug companies need to restructure their stents trading and supply channel to work within 8 per cent maximum trade margin without circumventing it. It had also said, the 8 per cent margin also adequately covers hospital handling charges.<br/><br/>In a major relief to patients, the NPPA had slashed prices of coronary stents by up to 85 per cent, capping them at 7,260 rupees for bare metal ones and 29,600 rupees for the drug eluting variety.