PremiumThe government had regulated the prices of pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitoring machine, nebulizer, digital thermometer and glucometer during the pandemic, with the last cap taking effect in July.
New Delhi: Trade margins of five essential medical devices used in the fight against covid-19 will remain capped for another three months as cases of the viral disease start rising again.
The government had regulated the prices of pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitoring machine, nebulizer, digital thermometer and glucometer during the pandemic, with the last cap taking effect in July.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said on Tuesday that trade margin data for these five medical devices was collected from manufacturers, marketers and importers, adding it noted margins of up to 709% from the ‘price to distributors’ to the maximum retail price level.
The NPPA asked manufacturers to fix MRP as per the specified formula, based on trade margins not exceeding 70%.
Since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic, the authority has taken several measures to ensure the availability of essential drugs at affordable prices and brought several medical devices under price control.
“Medical devices like oximeter, BP machine, nebulizer, digital thermometer and glucometer are essential for covid-19 management. Therefore, as per DPCO act, their prices have regulated under trade margin rationalization approach," a government official said.
“State drug controllers are ensuring that manufacturers, dealers are following the regulation. Besides, this manufacturers of these five medical devices shall submit quarterly details of products manufactured/imported, sold or imported," added the official.
Queries sent to the health ministry remained unanswered.