DGDA re-fixes coronary stent prices

 
The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) has issued letters to importers concerned, directing them to implement newly revised prices of coronary stents used in cardiac treatment.

In a notification signed on Tuesday by DGDA Director General Alamgir Hossain, the authority said the maximum retail prices (MRP) of imported coronary stents have been revised following recommendations of an expert advisory committee formed under the Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The revised prices were fixed after taking into account taxes, VAT, commissions, import costs and reasonable profit margins for companies, according to the notification.

The decision was based on recommendations from the committee’s 5th and 6th meetings held on October 16 and November 13 last year. Later, in its 7th meeting on May 13, applications from several companies seeking price reconsideration were reviewed and approved.

According to the revised list, prices of coronary stents have been reduced to some extent, depending on type and brand. The cuts range from around Tk 1,000 to nearly Tk 48,000, which is expected to lower the cost of angioplasty procedures.

The DGDA has issued several directives to ensure transparency and proper implementation of the new pricing system.

Hospitals have been instructed to display updated price lists of stents in visible public areas. Healthcare providers and suppliers must strictly follow the approved MRPs, and stent prices cannot be included as part of any bundled medical packages.

Patients must be provided with separate receipts mentioning the stent name, MRP and manufacturer. Hospitals have also been instructed to return used stent packaging to patients.