The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has permitted companies manufacturing stents to increase their prices by 1.74%, in line with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), starting April 1.
Revised Ceiling Prices for Stents
A stent, a thin wire-like mesh used to clear arterial blockages, particularly in the heart, will now have updated price caps:
- Bare-metal stents: ₹10,692.69
- Drug-eluting stents (including bioresorbable vascular scaffold/BVS biodegradable stents): ₹38,933.14
Guidelines for Manufacturers and Importers
The NPPA stated that manufacturers and importers with a maximum retail price (MRP) lower than the revised ceiling price may adjust their prices based on the WPI increase of 1.74028% for 2024, as per the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 2013.
However, manufacturers who fail to comply with the ceiling price regulations must deposit the overcharged amount with interest, as per the DPCO, 2013, and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Annual Price Revision of Essential Medicines
As reported by the Hindu business line, this announcement aligns with NPPA’s annual WPI-linked price revision for medicines under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), also effective from April 1. The revised prices will affect a wide range of essential drugs, including:
- Antibiotics
- Antivirals
- Painkillers
- Diabetes medications
Meanwhile, medicines not listed under NLEM can see a maximum annual price increase of up to 10%.
Government’s Price Control Measures
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel confirmed that NPPA had fixed ceiling prices for 928 scheduled formulations on March 25, 2025. These prices undergo annual revisions based on WPI fluctuations.
For FY 2024-25, NPPA has increased ceiling prices of scheduled medicines by 0.00551%, effective April 1, 2024. The agency also regulates the retail price of new drugs, as per Paragraph 2(1)(u) of DPCO, 2013. So far, NPPA has notified around 3,200 retail drug prices under DPCO, 2013, as of March 25, 2025.