New Delhi: Ahead of a possible third wave of coronavirus pandemic, the Government of India has taken a big step towards public interest by lowering the cost of five basic medical devices and demand continues to grow. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the government has capped the trade margin of equipment including pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitoring machine, digital thermometer, nebulizer, and glucometers.
The announcement brings a huge relief to the common man who faced immense struggle during the first and second wave of coronavirus. The price changes came into effect on July 20.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which regulates the prices of pharmaceutical drugs and related equipment, capped the prices to 70 per cent on the Price to Distributor (PTD) level. The decision was taken with support from Industry Associations like FICCI, AdvaMed, and AMCHAM, the government said.
“In the larger public interest, the government caps trade margin for five medical devices, effective from July 20. It will hugely reduce prices of Medical devices,” the newly-appointed Health Minister said. The pricing, as fixed, will remain in force up to January 31, 2022 or until further orders.
In larger public interest, Government caps Trade Margin for 5 Medical Devices, effective from July 20;
-Pulse Oximeter
-Blood Pressure Monitoring Machine
-Nebulizer
-Digital Thermometer
-GlucometerIt will hugely reduce prices of Medical devices.https://t.co/4YA2zay5yl
— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) July 24, 2021
At least 684 products and brands of these five medical devices and 620 other products or brands (91%) have reported a drop in MRP. The maximum downward revision has been reported by the imported brand of Pulse Oximeter, showing reduction of Rs. 2,95,375 per unit, followed by Blood Pressure Monitoring Machine and Nebulizer.
Revised pricing of medical devices:
| Sl. No |
Medical Devices | No of Brands Reported after the Notification | No of Brands reported Downward revision of MRP | Maximum Reduction Reported in MRP | |
| Rs | Percentage | ||||
| 1A | Pulse Oximeter – Finger tip | 136 | 127 (93%) | 5,150 | 88% |
| 1B | Pulse Oximeter – Others | 73 | 62 (85%) | 2,95,375 | 47% |
| 2 | Blood Pressure Monitoring Machine | 216 | 195 (90%) | 6,495 | 83% |
| 3 | Nebulizer | 137 | 124 (91%) | 15,175 | 77% |
| 4 | Digital Thermometer | 88 | 80 (91%) | 5,360 | 77% |
| 5 | Glucometer | 34 | 32 (94%) | 1,500 | 80% |
| Total | 684 | 620 (91%) | |||
“The manufacturers of these five medical devices, namely, (i) Pulse Oximeter, (ii) Blood Pressure Monitoring Machine, (iii) Nebulizer, (iv) Digital Thermometer, (v) Glucometer selling at price higher than the Maximum Retail Price so computed as per Table-A, shall revise the prices downward, not exceeding the Maximum Retail Price computed by using above formula,” the NPPA stated.
Earlier this year, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced big moves by the Centre offering various COVID-19 care-related relief to lakhs of people across the country. The Finance ministry had waived tax on COVID-19 essential items including PPE kit, masks, pulse oximeters, BiPAP machines, sanitisers and other equipment and also announced GST reduction from 12 per cent to 5 per cent on all coronavirus medicines including Remdesivir and Heparin, but maintained a 5 per cent GST on vaccines.