New Delhi: Medical devices will have to mandatorily carry maximum retail price (MRP) on packages from January 1, 2018, the government informed Parliament.

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that the move followed amendments to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

He said the consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministry has issued amendments making the rules "applicable to medical devices also".

"The rules make printing and labelling of MRP on the package mandatory. These rules shall be applicable from 1.1.2018," Mandaviya said.

He was responding to a query on whether any guideline was likely to be issued or has been issued by the ministry for medical devices to declare MRP.

The minister further said that under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, every package must bear the name, address, telephone number, e-mail of persons or of office that can be contacted in case of consumer complaints.

"The amended rules shall be applicable to e-commerce companies also," he said.

In March, drug price regulator NPPA had stated that the 22 medical devices which have been notified as 'drugs' must all carry MRP on packs.

These devices included heart valves, surgical dressings, condoms, stents, disposable hypodermic syringes and orthopaedic implants, among others.