NEW DELHI: According to a survey conducted by online citizen-engaging platform LocalCircles, over 90 percent participants have stated that the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of medical instruments, particularly stents and orthopaedic implants, should be printed on the device itself.
Additionally, citizens have demanded that all such medical devices must be brought under Packaged Commodity Rules at the earliest.
Two weeks ago, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) announced that it was reducing the price of coronary stents by up to 85 percent by capping them at Rs. 7,260 for bare metal ones and Rs. 29,600 for drug-eluting variety. In the consultation post the announcements, although the move has been appreciated, citizens are eager to see this being implemented.
To that order, citizens have suggested that medical devices such as coronary stents, heart valves, orthopaedic implants, catheters, intraocular lenses, capsule endoscopy equipment and air vent test machines should all have MRP published on them.
The results have been submitted to the Department of Consumer Affairs, and to the Department of Legal Metrology which administers the Packaged Commodities Rules, requesting an amendment to Packaged Commodities Rules 2011, on behalf of the consumers.