With the change to the Wholesale Price Index, the cap on coronary stent costs has been raised for both drug-eluting and bare metal stents (WPI). On March 31, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) issued a new pricing list that amended the ceiling prices for drug-eluting stents (DES), categorized as metallic DES and bio-absorbable vascular scaffolds or bio-degradable stents, to Rs 38,265 and Rs 10,509, respectively.

The ceiling prices for these two groups of stents were Rs 9,373 and Rs 34,128 in April 2022, respectively. In order to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common form of heart disease, a tube-shaped device called a coronary stent is inserted into the arteries to keep them open. Plaque buildup (deposits of cholesterol and other chemicals) in the artery walls is the most common cause of CAD.

In 2022, the health ministry notified Congress of the inclusion of coronary stents in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) to make this life-saving intervention more affordable for all people. 

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/medical-devices/cap-on-prices-of-coronary-stents-raised-following-wpi-revision/99281568 )