ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to heads of the National and Provincial Health Commissions in sub-standard cardiac stents case.

A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi heard the case pertaining to imbedding substandard cardiac stents.

The court also issued notices to all four Provincial Advocate Generals.

The court rejected the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) request to make NAB member of pricing committee.

At the outset of hearing, the court observed that substandard cardiac stents were being used across the country.

The court also observed that cardiovascular issues were left to inexperienced specialists.

The court sought implementation report on National Interventional Cardiology Board (NICB) recommendations.

Azhar Kiani Chairman Life Song Devices Pricing Committee said that the market was full of substandard stents.

He said that inexperienced specialists were putting stents in the patients. Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan said that importing substandard stents should not be allowed.

The Chief Justice said that the apex court ruled against the substandard stents. He observed that court orders and NICB recommendations were not being followed.