Gurgaon: Shortage of cardiac stents only a rumour, say authorities

The food and drugs administration of Haryana has dismissed rumours of shortage in cardiac stents at government hospitals and has urged people not to panic.

The food and drugs administration of Haryana has dismissed rumours of shortage in cardiac stents at government hospitals and has urged people not to panic.

Residents had started calling private hospitals after rumours started spreading on social media that the price of cardiac stents increased and there is a shortage of stents across the state. (HT FIle)

Residents had started calling private hospitals after rumours started spreading on social media that the price of cardiac stents increased and there is a shortage of stents across the state.

Fuelled by the rumours, stent prices shot up in various parts of the state. “I visited several prominent hospitals and discussed the issue with them and I can assure residents that the state has a sufficient stock of stents in all hospitals. There is no shortage of cardiac stents in the market and they are being sold at new prices as fixed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). Somebody is deliberately trying to cause panic by spreading rumours. The state government will nab them with the help of police,” Amandeep Chauhan, district drug control officer, said.

“Black marketers have spread the news on social media to create panic and people should not pay attention to them. The government has taken a serious note of this, and will soon find the source of the rumours,” Chauhan said.

Chauhan has asked government officials to keep an eye on the situation and help people understand the reality.

The officer has asked residents to inform the food and drugs administration or the drug controller if they are being overcharged for stents.

Recently, the government had cut down the prices of cardiac stents, and Rs 7,260 was fixed for bare metal stents and Rs 29,600 for bioresorbable vascular stents.