MTaI concerned over states capping prices of Covid essentials

New Delhi, June 12 The Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) on Saturday said that states intervening in price control of Covid-19 essentials will lead to supply constraints.

According to Pavan Choudary, Chairman and Director General, MTaI, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have fixed prices at different points which may create a risk of products being sold at multiple price points across the country.

This will lead to companies incurring additional costs and logistical challenges due to re-labelling and may disrupt the availability of these essential products.

"We are at a critical juncture in the fight against Covid-19 and the government and industry are trying to rally together to overcome this situation,"AChoudary said.

"At such a time, decisions taken without consulting with the industry will lead to confusion," Choudary added.

He also mentioned that companies may also choose not to market the product in the territory where the costs and complexities outweigh the benefits.

"The points at which the prices have been capped seem irrationally low, which may make this market unviable for the industry," Choudary said.

"Another concern is that this may deprive the frontline Healthcare workers of access to good quality protection compromising their safety," he added.

According to him, some experts have opined that theoretically not only the state governments, but district magistrates also have the authority to regulate prices.

"If such adventurism in pricing is allowed in practice, the industry will have to brace itself for a time when price control is happening at a district level also. Our vision to attract domestic and foreign capital to invest in medical devices will go crashing and so would patient interest," he said.

Choudary mentioned that price Control decisions, when unavoidable, should be taken by a single body for which India already has the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which has the research and implementation ability to do this job thoroughly.

"We look forward to a timely intervention by the concerned authorities to restrain States' intervention in price control," Choudary said.

Recently, the Tamil Nadu Government announced the fixing of MRP of 15 Covid-19 essential medical products including hand sanitizers, PPE kits, N95 masks and surgical gowns.

This is similar to the orders released by the Kerala government in May and by the Maharashtra government last year.