After Stents and Catherter, FDA moves Scanner to Intraocular Lenses

New Delhi: After making revelations of unjust profit margins on cardiac catheters last week, the Mahashtra FDA was recently seen making more revelations about Intraocular lenses stating that manufacturers, distributors, and hospitals are allegedly pocketing profits ranging from 59 to 1500 per cent on the manufacturing cost in the sale of these lenses.

The state FDA has surveyed 15 brands of intraocular lenses used in India, and found that cost for the retailer or the hospital starts from Rs 350 and goes up till Rs 15,200 for a lens. The cost to the patient, however, ranges between Rs 5,800 to Rs 26,550.

Indian Express reports that the state FDA surveyed 15 brands of intraocular lenses used in India, and found that cost for the retailer or the hospital starts from Rs 350 and goes up till Rs 15,200 for a lens. The cost to the patient, however, ranges between Rs 5,800 to Rs 26,550. This implies that for the hospital alone, profit margin ranges from 200% to 300%. Some of the examples cited by the FDA in its report pointed out

• AcrySof IOL lens, a product of US manufacturer Alcon, is imported for Rs 2,737 in India. Its selling price for wholesalers is Rs 6,500, but the cost to patients at the MRP is Rs 18,500, almost seven times higher than the landing cost.


• In case of Ultima Plus Natural, manufactured by Care Group, the hospital purchased it for Rs 1,500, while its MRP was Rs 9,500, at a profit of 533 per cent.

Maharashtra FDA has prepared a report on the prices of Intraocular lenses, which it has submitted to the Department of Pharmaceuticals demanding that these lenses along with many other medical implants such as balloons (used to inflate the artery to insert stents in angioplasty) and guiding catheters (a thin tube used to guide stents through arteries), orthopedic implants as well as other consumables including urine bag, oxygen mask be brought under National List of Essential Medicines as well as under price control.

Intraocular lenses are a key component of cataract surgeries. In India, most intraocular lenses are imported from the US, Germany and the UK, adds the daily