India Warns Stent Makers to Supply Products Despite Price Controls

India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority says coronary stent manufacturers must continue supplying all brands of stents they supplied before price controls went into effect on Feb. 14.

In January, the NPPA decided to impose the price controls five months after placing stents on the National List of Essential Medicines. The authority added stents to the list in July after numerous meetings with stent manufacturers, cardiologists and non-governmental organizations. At the time, experts urged the government to consider price controls.

The NPPA issued guidance reminding stent manufacturers they should have issued revised price lists by now and should have sent them to distributors and hospitals, with copies to state drug regulators and the NPPA.