Rs 11 IV for Rs 325, Rs 6 syringe for Rs 57: Tukaram Mundhe flags 2,841% inflated hospital bills that patients don't even know, sends recommendation to Centre

Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has highlighted a wide gap between the procurement prices and printed MRPs of hospital consumables, citing a survey that found some commonly used medical products carrying markups running into thousands of per cent.

In a post on Instagram, Mundhe said a significant portion of a hospital bill may come from medical consumables whose pricing patients have little ability to assess. He cited a Maharashtra survey that found an IV infusion set purchased at a trade price of Rs 11.05 carrying a printed MRP of Rs 325, representing a 2,841% markup. A syringe procured for Rs 6.75 had an MRP of Rs 57.20, while a catheter bought for Rs 29.41 carried an MRP of Rs 310.

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IV set, syringe and catheter price gaps

Mundhe said patients admitted for treatment generally cannot compare the prices of consumables, look for alternatives or question the amount printed on a medical product while receiving care.

He argued that the MRP of such products can be determined upstream by manufacturers and distributors, creating a substantial difference between the trade procurement price and the declared MRP. According to Mundhe, this leaves patients with limited information about whether the amount charged for a consumable reflects its underlying cost.

The survey covered products used in inpatient care, including IV infusion sets, syringes, nebulisers, oxygen masks and catheters, according to reports on the findings.

What Mundhe said about the regulatory gap

Mundhe said scheduled medicines are subject to price controls under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, while many medical devices and consumables do not have comparable direct price controls.

He described the issue as extending beyond pricing to what he called an information gap, arguing that patients are often unable to determine the basis of charges for products used during treatment.

Reports on the Maharashtra FDA's findings said the department has sought a review of hospital consumable pricing and clearer oversight of the difference between procurement prices and declared MRPs.

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Recommendations sent to Centre

Mundhe said a review of the survey findings and guidelines specifying a permissible gap between trade procurement prices and declared MRPs have been recommended to the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The proposals are aimed at examining how prices for commonly used medical devices and consumables are determined and improving transparency around the costs ultimately borne by patients.