Prices of five medical devices used by Covid patients drops by 88%

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As many as 90% of the brands have reduced the prices of devices like pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitoring machines and nebulisers – widely used in Covid-19 management – sharply by up to 88%, Times Of India reported on Sunday.

Prices of pulse oximeters fall

The price reduction is mainly because of the recent capping of trade margins at 70% by the National Pharmacuetical Pricing Authority. This was done as a part of an initiative by both the Central and the State governments to deal with the pandemic since all these five medical devices are essential for diagnostic treatment in general and also especially for Covid management. These devices are widely used in hospitals for early detection of Covid symptoms and self diagnose at home by the patients.

While MRP of pulse oximeters has been reduced by 88%, for BP monitoring machines it has dropped by up to 83%. MRP of glucometers has fallen by 80% and that of digital thermometers and nebulisers have declined 77%.

From a total of 684 brands, marketing the five medical devices, about 620 brands that is about 91% have reported a downward revision of the MRP. The imported brands with high margins have shown the maximum reduction in prices following the price cap, an official said while speaking with the Times Of India. An imported brand of Pulse Oximeter has shown the maximum downward revision of prices taking it down to Rs 2,95,375 per unit. Also prices of common brands which were seen as reliable costing in the Rs 3,000-Rs 5,000 range have become cheaper too.