Indian medical device manufacturers are calling out private hospitals and retailers for pushing imported medical devices at sky-high prices—sometimes without even displaying the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). They argue that these practices hurt consumers by making healthcare more expensive, while local manufacturers can provide affordable, high-quality alternatives.
Imported medical devices make up 65-80% of India’s market. However, many of these devices are sold at prices 20-30 times higher than their actual import cost. To tackle this, domestic manufacturers are calling for better transparency in pricing. They suggest that import documents should clearly show both the landed cost and the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), especially when imported devices are priced much higher than local alternatives. This would help identify price disparities and create fairer competition for Indian-made products. Currently, the high prices are passed on to consumers, making essential medical equipment much more expensive than necessary.
In light of these concerns, Indian MedTech leaders recently met with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. During this meeting, they urged for stronger regulations to control the high prices of medical devices. As a result, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has been asked to investigate inflated prices and increase price transparency under the Drugs (Price Control) Order (DPCO).
Another issue raised by manufacturers is the safety of imported devices. Some imported products, particularly diagnostic and surgical equipment, may be second-hand or refurbished, which raises concerns about their safety for patients.
Hospitals and distributors are promoting foreign goods with high margins and displacing native ones.Native manufacturers of medical devices
AiMeD (Association of Indian Medical Device Industry) is advocating for several key changes to improve the situation:
1. MRP labeling on all imported medical devices.
2. Rationalizing trade margins between hospitals and distributors.
3.Revised import duties to make it easier for local manufacturers to compete.
These changes would not only make healthcare more affordable but also help boost the growth of India’s domestic MedTech industry.
(Rh/Eth/VK/MSM/SE)