The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority on Monday fixed the ceiling price of drug-eluting stents (DES) and bioresorbable stents at Rs 30,000 and that of bare metal stents at Rs 7,500. The prices will be effective from notification on February 14. The ceiling price of drug-eluting stents (DES) and bioresorbable stents at Rs 30,000 and that of bare metal stents have been fixed at Rs 7,500. The prices will be effective from notification on Feb 14. This comes as a huge relief to lakhs of patients who have to undergo coronary angioplasty to insert stents to open up clogged arteries.
Over six lakh stents were estimated to have been used in angioplasties in India in 2016. The cost of a drug eluting stent currently ranges between Rs 24,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh and that of a bioresorbable stent is Rs 1.7 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. Over 95% of stents used in India are drug eluting. According to data…
