Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Exposes 2,800% Markup on Hospital Consumables
· India · Indian Express, India Today
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has flagged alarming price markups on hospital consumables, revealing an IV set purchased for ₹11.05 is sold at ₹325—a 2,841% markup—while nebulizers and masks show margins of up to 1,600%. In an interview with *The Indian Express*, Mundhe said these exorbitant prices, often hidden from patients, are a public health issue and called for regulation under the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013. The FDA has conducted 2,485 inspections of pharmaceutical facilities in the last three months, but no enforcement details were provided. Mundhe’s policy proposal to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) seeks to bring these consumables under price controls, citing lack of transparency as a systemic problem. The issue affects patients nationwide, as these markups inflate healthcare costs without improving service quality.
Why it matters
Patients and families bear the brunt of these hidden markups, which can push medical expenses beyond affordability, especially for essential treatments. If regulated, this could reduce healthcare costs for millions and force transparency in pricing—a long-standing demand in India’s healthcare sector.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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