Abbott's stent withdrawal plea rejected

NPPA asks company to prove superiority and then fix higher price

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has rejected US-based stent maker Abbott’s application to withdraw its high-end stents from India on technical grounds, asking it to re-apply if it still wanted to pull out. But, the rejection has come with a possible sweetener. In an indication of a softening of stand, the NPPA on Wednesday told Abbott that it should prove the superiority of its stents if it wanted a better price. 

At present, the price cap at Rs 29,600 is meant for all stents, irrespective of make and origin.           

Following a meeting at the NPPA on