The government has fixed the maximum price ceiling of artificial heart valves and pacemakers to ensure discipline in the country's cardiac device market.
According to new pricing, artificial heart valves will cost between Tk 55,000 and Tk 2,50,000 each, while pacemakers will cost between Tk 65,000 and Tk 10,00,000 each depending on their variants.
The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) made the announcement, following a meeting and open discussions with the stakeholders concerned, held at its headquarters in the city on Tuesday.
DGDA Director General (DG) Major General Md. Mustafizur Rahman presided over the meeting. Top officials of the state-run and private sector hospitals, traders, cardiologists and medical equipment importers attended the meeting.
In the meeting, the expenditure for each heart valve has been reduced by minimum of Tk 4,800 to maximum Tk 26,000, while it dropped by Tk 10,000 to Tk 4,07,000 for each pacemaker.
Any mechanical heart valve will cost as high as Tk 1,50,000, while the maximum retail price for a tissue heart valve will be Tk 2,50,000.
Among various types of heart valves, SJM mechanical heart valve will be sold at Tk 58,000 each, which was sold at as high as Tk 74,000 in some hospitals. Price of SJM mechanical heart valve (conduit valve) has been fixed at Tk 1,50,000, a drop by Tk 26,000.
The maximum retail price of CRT-D (cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator) pacemakers has been decreased by Tk 50,000 to Tk 4,07,000. This variant of pacemaker will be sold at Tk 8,50,000 to Tk 10,00,000 as per the decision.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mustafizur Rahman said the prices have been fixed following discussions with all the stakeholders, including physicians, medical equipment importers, hospital managers and the government agencies concerned.
"The price fixation will help the patients avail their treatment at affordable costs, and will ensure discipline amid price manipulation."
DGDA has already taken necessary measures to implement the decision. Due punitive actions will be taken against the people for violating the guidelines, the DG added.
In response to a query from an importer regarding change in prices of these items in international market, he assured that DGDA will review the prices whenever required.
The meeting was told that 1,200-1,500 heart valves are required in the country for cardiac patients per year. The demand for pacemakers ranges from 1,800 to 2,000 units annually.
Earlier, DGDA had fixed the prices of coronary stents in the country.
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