Prices of pulse oximeters, BP monitoring machines, nebulizers come down up to 88% in four days: Govt

According to a statement released by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, prices of critical medical devices such as pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitoring machines and nebulizers have come down up to 88 per cent since last Tuesday due to the restrictions imposed on the trade margin.

New Delhi: Prices of critical medical devices such as pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitoring machines and nebulizers have come down up to 88 per cent since last Tuesday due to the restrictions imposed on the trade margin. According to a statement released by the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on Saturday, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on July 13, 2021 issued a notification to restrict trade margin on five items - pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitoring machine, nebulizer, digital thermometer, and glucometer, at 70 per cent and this helped 91 per cent of brands of these medical devices in the downward revision of prices.

“The margin was capped up to 70% on Price to Distributor (PTD) level. Pursuant there to, a total of 684 products/brands of these medical devices have been reported as on 23rd July 2021 and 620 products/brands (91%) have reported downward revision of MRP,” said the statement. The maximum downward revision has been reported by imported brand of pulse oximeter (other category), showing reduction of 47 per cent per unit while the price of regular pulse oximeter (finger tip) has come down by 88 per cent.

Similarly, the price of blood pressure monitoring machines has come down by 83 per cent per unit, nebulizer as well as digital thermometer by 77 per cent, and glucometer by 80 per cent per unit. “The revised maximum retail price effective from 20th July 2021 on all the brands and specifications has been shared with the State Drug Controllers for strict monitoring and enforcement,” added the statement.

On July 13, the NPPA invoked extraordinary powers under the Paragraph 19 of DPCO, 2013, to put a cap on trade margin of these five medical devices. However, according to the notification, the revised prices became effective on July 20. With an aim of making the medical devices affordable during the evolving situation of COVID pandemic, it is felt necessary to regulate the trade margin on these medical devices, NPPA said in its order.