“Walking the
talk of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s speech on Independence Day
2017, the Government has fixed the ceiling prices of orthopaedic
implants used in knee surgeries from today”, informed
Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananthkumar, while addressing the media here today. Based on the numbers of about 1 to 1.5 lakh orthopaedic knee procedures
done in India every year, there will be a saving of about
Rs.1500 crore for the people of
India per annum. It is a step to prevent Unethical
Profiteering and ensure Affordable and Quality Healthcare for the Last Man, the
Minister added.
Shri Kumar said that as per the data analysis of
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, there was huge
margin in trade which was found to be unreasonable and in a way unethical
'profiteering'. The NPPA, while fixing the ceiling prices,
has kept all the new technology implants in mind and prices have been fixed
accordingly, which are as follows:
|
Type of Knee Implant
|
Average
MRP
Earlier
(Rupees)
|
Average
Price
Reduction
|
New Ceiling
Price and MRP*
(Rupees)
|
|
Cobalt Chromium (most widely
used)
|
1,58,324
|
65%
|
54,720
|
|
Special Metal like Titanium & Oxidized Zirconium
|
2,49,251
|
69%
|
76,600
|
|
High Flexibility Implant
|
1,81,728
|
69%
|
56,490
|
|
Revision Implants
|
2,76,869
|
59%
|
1,13,950
|
|
Specialised Implants for Cancer & Tumour
|
Company specific prices; to be fixed by NPPA at Rs. 1,13,950
|
*Companies will print the MRP by adding GST on these
ceiling prices
Shri Kumar informed that it is estimated by World
Health Organization (WHO) that by 2020,
osteoarthritis is going to be the fourth largest cause of immobility in the
world. India has about 1.2 to 1.5 crore orthopaedic
patients who require orthopaedic implant surgery. Most of the diagnosed people requiring knee surgery are not
able to afford because of very high cost. Government is
reforming this state of affairs putting a ceiling on knee implants from today,
the Minister added.
Shri Kumar said that the Government expects full cooperation
from all the stakeholders including importers, distributors, retailers,
hospitals etc. in ensuring that the benefit of reduction
of prices of knee implants reaches the last man. The
Minister added that all complaints of overcharging would be strictly monitored
and the overcharged amount would be recovered from erring parties with an
interest of 18% over it. A step
further, Shri Kumar added that the Government might also consider cancelling of
licenses and initiate criminal proceedings against stakeholders engaged in
unethical profiteering.
Other dignitaries present on the occasion were
Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Chemicals &
Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh Lal
Mandaviya, Shri Jai Priye Prakash, Secretary
Pharmaceuticals and Shri Bhupendra Singh, Chairman
NPPA.
*****
VM