Mixed response to import ban on used medical devices

The central drugs regulator's decision to stop the import of refurbished or pre-owned medical devices into the country citing a lack of specific regulations has met with mixed responses from the industry; some said it will boost the government's make-in-India initiative, while others call it a problem as smaller health care facilities depend largely on refurbished devices.

- Rhyth Kaul

NEW DELHI:

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on January 10 banned the import of all refurbished, pre-owned, or second-hand medical devices into the country, an order that will be valid until the Union ministry of health and family welfare establishes a policy framework for such imports.

"At a time the domestic industry is already grappling with issues like negligible import tariff of 0 to 7.5% on medical devices in India, the import of refurbished devices was a deterrent to the entrepreneurial spirits of the domestic manufacturing industry, making India severely import dependent," said Rajiv Nath, forum co-ordinator, Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices (AiMeD).