After stents, knee-implants get cheaper as govt caps price

Move for capping orthopaedic implants comes as NPPA found that firms were making unethical profits

After cardiac stents, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped the prices of orthopaedic knee implants. 

The cobalt chromium knee implant, available at over Rs 1,58,000 at hospitals, will now be available for a ceiling price of Rs 54,720. At present, such implants have a market share of 80 per cent. Implants with special metals like titanium or oxidised zirconium are priced at almost Rs 4,50,000 lakh. The new ceiling price will now be Rs 76,600. 

Highly-flexible implants are available at Rs 1,81,728 or more. Now, they will be sold at a ceiling price of Rs 56,490. Another category