The prices of 22 types of stents or rings used in the treatment of heart disease in Bangladesh have been reduced.

The new price list set by the Drug Administration Directorate has set the minimum price for these essential medical devices at Tk 20,000 and the maximum at Tk 68,000.

The announcement of the price reduction was made in a press release by the directorate on Tuesday.

Director (Administration) of the directorate, Md Salah Uddin, said, "This is part of the continuity of increasing and decreasing prices. We have been trying to reduce the price of stents for a long time. This has been done in that context.

"From now on, everyone will sell stents at this price. All hospitals must display this new price list."

In Bangladesh, there is a practice of using 26 types of stents made in various countries for the treatment of heart disease. The prices of three stents were reduced a few months ago, which remain unchanged.

According to the new price list, the price of one company's stent has slightly increased.

When arteries are blocked, coronary stents are implanted via angioplasty to keep the heart's natural function active. In common language, this is known as a ring.

Previously, in December 2023, when the Drug Administration set the prices of stents, a major portion of importers had objected to the new prices and had halted supplies. The issue had also escalated to court.

However, after the determination of the new prices on Tuesday, the acting president of the Medical Device Importers Association of Bangladesh, Wasim Ahmed, said that there was "not much objection" to it.

He said, "Considering the current prices of dollars and euros, the set prices are also low. Now, we have to talk with our distributors. We have to tell them that the government has made rules, take some benefits from them... and adjust so that we can survive for now."

On Tuesday, the Drug Administration Directorate announced that the prices of various companies' heart rings were reduced after discussions with representatives of heart ring manufacturing companies from Europe and other countries, as well as with interventional cardiologists.

Prices of specific rings:

- The price of the Alex Plus brand made in Poland has been reduced from Tk 80,000 to Tk 60,000, Alex brand from Tk 62,922 to Tk 60,000, and Abaris brand from Tk 61,921 to Tk 60,000.

- The price of the Coroflex ISAR brand from Germany has been reduced from Tk 50,119 to Tk 53,000, Coroflex ISAR Neo brand from Tk 73,126 to Tk 55,000, and the Gilimas brand from Tk 60,000 to Tk 58,000.

- The price of the Orsiro brand from Switzerland has been reduced from Tk 76,000 to Tk 63,000, Orsiro Mission from Tk 81,000 to Tk 68,000.

- The price of the Genoss Des brand made in South Korea has been reduced from Tk 65,500 to Tk 56,000.

- The price of the iVascular angiolite from Spain has been reduced from Tk 87,000 to Tk 62,000.

- The price of the Ultimaster from Japan has been reduced from Tk 83,200 to Tk 66,000.

- The price of the Abluminus DES Plus from the Netherlands has been reduced from Tk 71,200 to Tk 63,000.

- The price of the Metafor brand made in India has been reduced from Tk 48,000 to Tk 40,000, Evermine50 brand from Tk 95,500 to Tk 50,000, BioMime Morph from Tk 95,500 to Tk 50,000, and BioMime from Tk 65,595 to Tk 45,000.

- The price of the Affinity-MS Mini from the United States has been reduced from Tk 91,000 to Tk 60,000, Direct-Stent Siro from Tk 96,732 to Tk 66,000, and Direct-Stent from Tk 33,592 to Tk 30,000.

- The price of the Biomatrix Neoflex made in Singapore has been reduced from Tk 76,000 to Tk 60,000, Biomatrix Alpha from Tk 86,036 to Tk 66,000, and BioFreedom from Tk 121,600 to Tk 68,000.