'Reject US pressure to review medical device price controls'

The development comes as the US medical firms have approached the US Trade Representative through Advanced Medical Technology Association requesting that India's benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences be suspended or withdrawn for failure to provide equitable and reasonable access to market for medical devices.

The AIDAN has termed the move highly reprehensible.

"This is a barefaced attempt to intimidate Indian government and retaliate against its decision to fix the retail prices of cardiovascular stents and knee implants in the public interest and exposes the unabashed greed of the industry and its willingness to holdpoor peoples' health at ransom for the sake of maximising profits," AIDAN said in a statement.

The well-thought-out decision by the government to regulate the prices of cardiovascular stents and knee implants puts an end to the rampant overcharging and the exploitation of the patients by hospitals and doctors in collusion with the companies, it added. While asking the government to reject any pressure to review price control on medical devices, AIDAN also sought expansion of price control for other devices that are classified as drugs. "We ask that price controls are urgently expanded to cover 19 additional categories of medical devices classified as drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules," the statement said.

It also asked the US government to refrain from exerting policy pressure on India for taking the measures to make medicines and medical devices more affordable and accessible to patients that need them, it added.

AIDAN is a network of several non-government organisations working to increase access and improve the rational use of essential medicines.