Mumbai: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has raised concerns over wide differences between the procurement prices and maximum retail prices of commonly used medical consumables in private hospitals, with some products carrying markups of more than 2,800 per cent.
The findings have been shared with the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority for review and possible regulatory action.
The survey examined several products routinely used during hospital treatment, including intravenous infusion sets, syringes, nebulisers, oxygen masks and catheters. The comparison found substantial differences between the prices paid by hospitals and the prices printed on the products or charged to patients.
One of the biggest gaps involved an IV infusion set that was purchased by a private hospital for ₹11.05 but carried an MRP of ₹325. That represents a markup of about 2,841 per cent.
A syringe purchased for ₹6.75 had an MRP of ₹57.20, while a catheter procured for ₹29.41 carried an MRP of ₹310.
Mundhe said patients are often unaware of the actual procurement cost of medical consumables and have limited ability to compare prices while undergoing treatment. He said the issue goes beyond pricing and also involves transparency and protection of patients.
According to the findings, patients undergoing hospitalisation may not have the option to question the cost of individual consumables or choose cheaper alternatives during treatment.
Mundhe has called for clear rules on the permissible difference between procurement prices and declared MRPs. His recommendations include rationalising trade margins and examining price monitoring mechanisms or price caps for essential categories of medical devices.
The NPPA is also examining whether significant margins are being added at different stages of the supply chain. Company filings and internal price information are being compared with the Maharashtra findings.
Similar concerns have reportedly been raised by drug-control authorities in Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
Under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, the NPPA regulates ceiling prices for scheduled formulations and specified medical devices. For non-scheduled products, Paragraph 20 limits MRP increases to 10 per cent over a 12-month period, although it does not create a single ceiling price covering every medical device or consumable.
The government has previously introduced direct price controls for products including coronary stents and knee implants. During the Covid-19 pandemic, trade-margin rationalisation was also applied to oxygen concentrators and certain medical devices.
Hospital representatives have, however, stressed that any regulatory framework should balance price transparency with the financial requirements of hospitals, including investments in infrastructure, technology and patient safety.
The issue adds to the broader regulatory focus surrounding Maharashtra’s FDA under Mundhe, which has recently stepped up inspections and enforcement activity across the
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