Refurbished Medical Devices Import: Threat to Make in India

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Medical device industry associations on Friday attacked the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change for allowing the import of refurbished and pre-owned medical devices into the country saying it is against the interests of the companies investing in local manufacturing.

The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and the Association of Indian Medical Devices (AiMed), in alliance with the Manufacturers of Imaging, Therapy and Radiology Devices Association (MITRA), the Association of Diagnostic Manufacturers of India (ADMI), and other key stakeholders from the MedTech industry sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the matter.

"The Office Memorandum (OM) issued by the MoEFCC undermines the National Medical Devices Policy 2023, which was launched by the Prime Minister last year. The OM allows the import of pre-owned medical equipment into India, putting the investments made by Indian and overseas manufacturers under the 'Make in India' initiative at risk of becoming non-performing assets," AiMeD Forum Coordinator Rajiv Nath stated.

The investors will only bring manufacturing technologies to India if the policy environment is predictable and consistent with the National Medical Devices Policy 2023, intended to be binding on all government departments, he added.

"Not only are many projects recently initiated for high-end medical equipment now jeopardised, but patient safety is also at risk," Nath said.

India is being treated as a dumping ground for e-waste, with obsolete equipment being resold in the country while overseas manufacturers benefit from doubling their sales - once through replacement sales to hospitals in the Western world and again through second sales of pre-owned equipment to India, he stated.

"This severely harms the domestic industry, which is still in its nascent stage. India must not become a dumping ground for obsolete medical equipment," Nath said.

Innvolution Healthcare Co-Founder Atul Sharma said India's self-reliant healthcare vision relies on fostering local innovation.

"We urge the government to prioritise domestic manufacturers and consult CDSCO's data to prevent unnecessary imports that hinder industry growth," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Sequoia Healthcare CEO & MD Viswanathan Santhanagopalan said hospitals and diagnostic centres charge patients the same fees, regardless of whether they use new or refurbished equipment, meaning no cost benefit is passed on to patients while outdated technology is employed.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Assistant Secretary General Shalini Sharma said the import of refurbished medical devices poses challenges for domestic manufacturers, many of who are members of the chamber.