Govt seeks to ensure stent supply is not interrupted

NEW DELHI: The government has invoked special provisions in the drug law to ensure there is no shortage of stents in the market by directing manufacturers and importers to continue uninterrupted supplies for at least three months.

The decision to use special powers to ensure supplies comes in the wake of reports of shortages of coronary stents in various hospitals after the six-month production window following price capping in February ended in August.

The department of pharmaceuticals has asked companies to keep production and import at previous levels and submit a weekly production and distribution report to drug regulators - Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) as well as National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.

NPPA monitors prices of pharmaceutical products. "After due deliberations on the current situation and alternatives available with the governmentto resume normal supply of coronary stents, it has been decided to invoke the powers of Section 3 (i) of DPCO, 2013...," the department said in a letter to stent manufacturers and importers.

Abbott and Boston Scientific had approached the NPPA earlier this month requesting withdrawal of their premium stents.