NEW DELHI: The apex body for pharmaceutical pricing has extended the ceiling price fixation for orthopaedic knee implants – imposed in 2017 to ensure these are affordable and stop fleecing of patients – till November 15.The latest notification states that representations received from manufacturers and industry associations on the subject are being considered by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). “In the meantime, a decision has been taken to extend the ceiling price fixation on orthopaedic knee implants for a further period of up to two months,” it stated.The NPPA in 2017 notified the ceiling price of orthopaedic knee implants by invoking extraordinary powers, in public interest, under the Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO), 2013, for one year and extended the same from time to time, the last extension being on Sep 10, 2024.The authority has maintained the applicability of ceiling prices for the implants since then despite protests by some of industry bodies. The NPPA, in its order on Aug 16, 2020, stated it had “noticed that orthopaedic knee implants are having unjustified, unreasonable and irrational high trade margins leading to their exorbitant prices which affects the out of pocket expenses of patients and lakhs of patients are not able to pay for arthroplasty procedures because of these exorbitant prices and suffering in pain.“