Medical device makers urge Centre to reconsider approvals for refurbished imports

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Medical captious   signs show   instrumentality   successful  a hospital. Image for the intent  of practice   only.

Medical captious signs show instrumentality successful a hospital. Image for the intent of practice only. | Photo Credit: File

Indian manufacturers of aesculapian devices person written to the Central authorities urging it to urgently reconsider support grants for the import of refurbished and reconditioned aesculapian devices, stating that the determination raises concerns for India’s healthcare ecosystem, which has invested years successful indigenous research, engineering and manufacturing to physique world-class technologies nether the “Make successful India” vision.

“Despite the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation’s wide prohibition connected the import of refurbished aesculapian equipment, and with the substance presently sub judice earlier the courts, specified approvals hazard undermining regulatory integrity and creating an uneven playing tract for home innovators,” stakeholders said successful a statement.

They added that the signifier weakens the home aesculapian instrumentality manufacture and undermines the enactment of innovators.

“While Indian manufacturers make cutting-edge, globally competitory devices, the introduction of old, depreciated overseas machines threatens to flood the marketplace with exertion that has already lived its commercialized beingness elsewhere. India cannot spend to go a dumping crushed for aesculapian physics discarded nether the guise of refurbished equipment,” Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator, Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices (AiMeD), said.

In their statement, the radical of manufacturers said regulatory contradiction successful the substance was besides a origin for concern.

Both India’s aesculapian instrumentality manufacture and diligent information advocates person raised objections to the caller determination of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to licence the import of refurbished and reconditioned aesculapian devices, including robotic surgical systems, MRI machines, CT scanners and different high-value equipment.

Srinivasa Reddy, elder vice-president, SS Innovations, said allowing refurbished aesculapian devices into India astatine this signifier sent the incorrect connection to manufacturers who had invested years successful gathering world-class technologies domestically.

“Also erstwhile the CDSCO has intelligibly stated that refurbished devices cannot beryllium imported, parallel permissions lone make disorder and unfair advantage,” helium said.

Stakeholders pointed retired that the Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation has filed a writ petition earlier the Delhi High Court seeking a prohibition connected refurbished imports, informing that India risks becoming a dumping crushed for utilized aesculapian equipment. Notices person been issued to aggregate ministries and the substance remains sub judice.

Mr. Viswanathan Santhanagopalan, Managing Director, Sequoia Healthcare, said authorities tendering often disadvantaged Indian high-end and high-value aesculapian instrumentality manufacturers, specified arsenic those producing CT scanners, MRI machines and robotic assistance systems, by demanding unnecessary precocious features and overseas certifications alternatively of relying connected Indian standards specified arsenic the Bureau of Indian Standards.

“Identical import duties connected caller and utilized aesculapian instrumentality let refurbished planetary systems to vie straight with high-value Indian devices, suppressing home request and discouraging section innovation and scale-up. The lack of a broad information and regulatory model for utilized instrumentality income and third-party work providers creates diligent information risks and enables an unregulated marketplace that erodes the competitiveness of compliant Indian manufacturers,” helium said.

“Imported machines often transportation outdated technology, unpredictable show and unreliable spare-part support, resulting successful predominant breakdowns and compromised diagnostic accuracy. Many refurbished systems bash not conscionable the latest planetary information standards, and their shorter lifespan and hidden defects make avoidable risks during captious aesculapian procedures. At a clip erstwhile India is rapidly advancing its healthcare capabilities, we indispensable debar lowering the technological benchmark by depending connected obsolete imports. Instead, our absorption should beryllium connected adopting modern, businesslike and locally manufactured instrumentality that ensures semipermanent reliability, amended objective outcomes and supports the maturation of India’s aesculapian exertion ecosystem,” R.S. Kanwar, Director, Overseas Operations, Allengers Medical Systems Ltd., said.

Published - December 13, 2025 05:02 p.m. IST

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