Parliament Question: Increase in the Price of Cardiac Stents

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2521 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13th FEBRUARY, 2026 Increase in the Price of Cardiac Stents †2521. Shri Giridhari Yadav:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is true that the patients in private hospitals of the country are deprived of the benefits of reduction in rates despite the fixation of maximum price for cardiac stents by the Government, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether there is an increase in stent implantation charges to cover up the reduction in rate of stents in the country, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to fix the maximum charges for stents and its implantation in all private hospitals of the country; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a) to (d): Coronary stents [Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Drug Eluting Stents (DES)] are included in Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) and accordingly NPPA fixes their ceiling prices as per the provisions of DPCO, 2013. The present applicable ceiling price for BMS is ₹10,692.69 and for DES ₹38,933.14. The prices fixed under DPCO, 2013 are applicable across the country. All manufacturers, marketers and importers of stents are required to sell their products within such ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Service Tax). Also, NPPA issued a notification dated 12.2.2018, requiring that institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes and clinics performing angioplasty procedures using coronary stents who bill patients directly shall comply with the ceiling prices notified in the notification.

Further, the said notification also requires such institutions to specifically and separately mention in their estimate / proforma invoice / final billing, etc. the cost of the coronary stents, its category like bare-metal stent (BMS) or drug-eluting stent (DES), brand name, name of the manufacturer / importer / batch number / specifications and other details.

Further, as per constitutional provisions, ‘Health’ is a State subject. It is the responsibility of respective State Government / Union Territory Administration to take cognizance of cases of excessive amounts being charged by private hospitals and take action to prevent and control such practices. However, the Government of India, enacted ‘The ClinicalEstablishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010’ (CE Act) and notified ‘The Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012’ thereunder to provide for registration and regulation of Government as well as private clinical establishments belonging to recognized systems of medicine i.e. Allopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha and Unani System of medicines, or any other system of medicine as may be recognised by the Central Government (except those of Armed Forces). The State Governments and Union Territories Administration which have adopted the CE Act are primarily responsible for regulating their hospitals including private hospitals as per provisions of the CE Act and Rules thereunder to ensure the provision of affordable and quality healthcare to patients. As per the CE Act, all the clinical establishments (Government & private) are required to fulfil the conditions of minimum standards of facilities and services and inter-alia, display of rates charged by them at a conspicuous place. The CE Act has empowered a registering authority at the District level under the chairmanship of the District Collector / District Magistrate to take actions including imposing penalties in respect of violation of its provisions.

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