Press Release on 164th Report of the Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha on the Petition praying to evolve an efficient mechanism to check the exorbitant prices of cardiac stents and other medical devices

1. At a Glance

• A Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions report (164th) on a citizen petition seeking statutory controls on prices of cardiac stents and other medical devices in India [S1].
• Tests the UPSC aspirant on parliamentary committee mechanisms (petition route), drug price regulation (NPPA/DPCO), and the right-to-health vs. market-pricing debate.
• Links a procedural device (citizen petition under Chapter X, Rajya Sabha Rules) to a substantive health-economics outcome (stent price capping) [S1][S3].

2. Why in the News

• The 164th Report was presented on 25 March 2026 by the Committee headed by Shri Narain Dass Gupta, MP, on a 2015 petition by Ms. Sulagna Chattopadhyay (Vasant Kunj, Delhi), countersigned by then-RS member Shri Avinash Rai Khanna [S1].
• The report revisits the 2017 stent price cap regime and the post-2020 inclusion of medical devices under DPCO, evaluating whether the mechanism remains efficient [S1][S2][S4].

3. Background & Evolution

• 20 October 2015 — Petition admitted by Chairman, Rajya Sabha, under Chapter X of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Council of States; referred under Rule 145 [S1].
• July 2016 — Coronary stents added to National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), bringing them under DPCO ambit.
• 13 February 2017 — NPPA capped Bare Metal Stents (BMS) at ₹7,260 and Drug-Eluting/Bioresorbable Stents (DES) at ₹29,600, slashing prices by up to 85% (BMS) and 74% (DES) [S2][S4].
• 11 February 2020 Notification (MoHFW) — All medical devices notified as "Drugs" under Drugs & Cosmetics Act, w.e.f. 1 April 2020, brought under DPCO, 2013 [S5].
• Current ceiling prices revised to BMS ₹10,692.69 and DES ₹38,933.14 (annual WPI-linked revision) [S2].

4. Core Static Facts

• Petitioner: Ms. Sulagna Chattopadhyay; Countersignatory: Shri Avinash Rai Khanna (then RS MP) [S1].
• Committee Chair: Shri Narain Dass Gupta, MP (AAP) [S1].
• Enabling provision: Rule 145, Chapter X, Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure [S1].
• Regulator: National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under Dept. of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers [S2].
• Statutory backbone: Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 under Essential Commodities Act, 1955; Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 [S5].
• Health regulator (devices): CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation), MoHFW [S5].
• NLEM scheduled formulations under price control: 871 (as of 2020) [S6].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic - Stent capping yielded patient savings; broader medicines price-fixation projected savings of ₹12,447 crore to patients [S7]. - Trade margin in stents (pre-2017) was up to ~380%, indicating market failure justifying price control [S4].

Social / Right to Health - Cardiovascular disease is India's largest mortality cause; out-of-pocket expenditure forces catastrophic health spending — petition framed as right-to-affordable-healthcare issue [S1].

Legal / Constitutional - Petition mechanism operationalises Article 350 (representation to authorities) via parliamentary forum; price control derives from Article 39(b) (DPSP — material resources of community). - DPCO uses delegated legislation under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 [S5].

Administrative / Governance - Bi-nodal: NPPA (pricing) + CDSCO (quality/licensing); coordination gaps flagged historically. - Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) approach extended to 42 anti-cancer drugs and select devices as alternative to ceiling pricing.

Ethical - Tension between patent/innovation incentives (imported DES) vs. affordability; multinational manufacturers had sought "withdrawal" of high-end stents post-cap — NPPA disallowed [S4].

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• 25 March 2026 — 164th Report tabled in Rajya Sabha [S1].
• Annual ceiling-price revisions by NPPA continue under WPI indexation; current BMS ₹10,692.69 / DES ₹38,933.14 [S2].
• Expansion of Medical Devices Rules oversight post-2020 notification covering all devices as "drugs" [S5].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha derives authority from Chapter X, Rule 145 of RS Rules of Procedure [S1].
• A petition to Rajya Sabha must be countersigned by a Member of the House [S1].
• NPPA capped cardiac stent prices on 13 February 2017 [S2].
• BMS cap (2017): ₹7,260; DES cap (2017): ₹29,600 [S2].
• NPPA functions under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers (NOT MoHFW) [S2].
• DPCO 2013 is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 [S5].
• All medical devices treated as "Drugs" from 1 April 2020 [S5].
• 164th Report presented 25 March 2026; Chair: Narain Dass Gupta [S1].
• Petition was admitted on 20 October 2015 [S1].
• Stent price reduction post-cap: up to 85% (BMS), 74% (DES) [S2].
• 871 scheduled formulations covered under price control mechanism [S6].
• Trade margin on stents was up to ~380% pre-regulation [S4].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Parliament & State Legislatures — functioning of committees; Issues relating to development & management of Social Sector/Services — Health.
• GS-III: Indian Economy — Issues relating to mobilisation of resources; Government Budgeting (subsidies/price control).
• Possible stems: 1. "Parliamentary petitions remain an underutilised instrument of citizen-State engagement in India." Discuss with reference to recent Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions reports. 2. "Price capping of essential medical devices reconciles market efficiency with the right to health." Critically examine the NPPA's stent-price regulation experience. 3. Discuss the institutional architecture for regulating medical device pricing in India and suggest reforms.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• NPPA & DPCO 2013 — core regulatory instruments.
• National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) — basis for scheduling.
• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY — demand-side affordability complement.
• CDSCO & Medical Devices Rules, 2017 — quality regulation.
• Parliamentary Committees (Standing vs. Petitions vs. Privileges) — comparison.
• PLI Scheme for Medical Devices — supply-side localisation.
• Jan Aushadhi (PMBJP) — generic affordability scheme.
• TRIPS & compulsory licensing — patent vs. health debate.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• NPPA is under Dept. of Pharmaceuticals (Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers) — NOT MoHFW [S2].
• Committee on Petitions is distinct from Committee on Public Petitions terminology and from Department-Related Standing Committees; report numbering is separate [S1].
• DPCO is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, not the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 (though the latter defines "drugs") [S5].
• Stent cap was 2017, not 2016 (NLEM addition was 2016) [S2].
• Petitioner ≠ MP; the countersigning MP is the procedural requirement, not authorship [S1].

11. Sources

• [S1] Press Release on 164th Report, Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2245263 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] NPPA fixes/revises ceiling prices — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2154217 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] Committee on Petitions Rules, Rajya Sabha — https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/CommitteeSection/CommitteeRules/1626362687055.42_CommitteOnPetitions.pdf — (tier: 1)
• [S4] Coronary Stent Prices capped (price hike ~380%) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1482693 — (tier: 1)
• [S5] Medical Devices notified as Drugs w.e.f. 1 April 2020 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1609670 — (tier: 1)
• [S6] 871 scheduled formulations under price control — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1658160 — (tier: 1)
• [S7] Patients to save ₹12,447 crore due to price fixation — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1576642 — (tier: 1)