Drug authority revises cardiac stent prices as EU importers halt supply

The government has revised the prices of cardiac stents from different foreign companies due to the dissatisfaction of importers with the prices determined by the drug authority last December. The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) revised the prices from the list it issued in December 2023.  Prices of some heart stents increased compared to those on the December list provided by the DGDA. Cardiac stents imported from European manufacturers dominate half the Bangladeshi market. Calling the price reduction by the DGDA 'unjustified', Europe-sourced importers refused to supply stents at a lower price and demanded a hike instead. Finally, following a supply crunch from the EU stent importers, the DGDA on Tuesday, in a circular, hiked the prices of 23 types of heart stents from different companies, mostly EU companies. Drug Administration Director and spokesperson Md Salauddin told the FE that the drug regulator determined stent prices following a markup policy they have and by holding discussions with representatives of European and other countries' cardiac stent manufacturers, their local representatives, and intervention cardiologists. “We revised the prices following the dissatisfaction of the EU stent importers. We held meetings with manufacturers of EU stents who said they could not supply us with the prices we determined in December 2023. Furthermore, fluctuating dollar prices also pushed the stent price adjustment,” he clarified. The prices of 23 types of rings available from 9 countries were reduced by up to 44 per cent in December last year compared to the prices in 2022 and 2021. In Bangladesh, 26 types of stents made by different countries are used in the treatment of heart disease. Md Nurul Alam, former deputy director of the Drug Administration, who retired this March, was also involved in the pricing since last December. Receiving heart treatments in the country has become difficult since the DGDA lowered prices in December. The tendency to seek treatment in neighbouring countries would see further rises instead of reductions due to the EU stent supply crunch, he said. This situation pushed the authority to hike prices as the importers said they were making losses, he added. [email protected] ( [email protected] )
Published on: 2024-04-03 19:33:12.692198 +0200 CEST