Govt to invoke Essential Commodities Act

Thiruvananthapuram: The State government will invoke provisions of Essential Commodities Act to ensure sale of coronary stent at prescribed prices, Health Minister K K Shailaja told the state Assembly Friday.

The names of traders who violate the price regulation would be sent to the National Drug Price Regulatory Authority for action, she said.

Shailaja was replying to a submission in this regard moved by P T A Rahim (LDF).

State Drug Control Department has intensified vigilance to ensure that coronary stent is being sold at the prescribed prices, she added.

The Centre had slashed the prices of life-saving coronary stents, used in angioplasty to ensure blood supply to and from the heart, by 85 per cent from their existing prices and capped.

The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers had on February 13 issued an order capping the price of stents and also directed all manufacturers and importers not to price their products below the notified ceiling price.