₹11 Product, ₹325 MRP: Tukaram Mundhe Questions Massive Price Difference in Hospitals

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has drawn attention to the sharp difference between the procurement prices and printed MRPs of medical consumables, warning that patients may be paying significantly higher amounts for products used during hospital treatment.

In a social media post, Mundhe said patients often have little information about the actual cost of medical consumables included in their hospital bills. He argued that the difference between a product’s trade price and its MRP can create a significant financial burden for people who are already undergoing treatment.

“The most expensive part of a hospital bill may never touch the hospital at all,” Mundhe wrote, adding that patients generally have no practical way to determine whether the price of a consumable reflects its actual cost or a substantial markup.

From ₹11.05 to ₹325

Mundhe cited data from a survey of hospital consumables in Maharashtra to highlight the scale of the price differences.

According to the figures shared by the FDA chief:

An IV infusion set costing ₹11.05 at the trade level had a printed MRP of ₹325, a difference of around 2,841%.
A syringe purchased for ₹6.75 carried an MRP of ₹57.20.
A catheter with a procurement price of ₹29.41 had an MRP of ₹310.

Mundhe noted that such products are generally required as part of medical treatment rather than being optional purchases. Patients and their families may therefore have limited scope to compare prices or choose alternatives when these products are required.

Concern Over the MRP-Trade Price Gap

According to Mundhe, the MRP can be fixed earlier in the supply chain by manufacturers or distributors and may remain considerably higher than the price at which a product is ultimately procured.

He described the resulting difference as an “unexplained margin” and said the issue is also linked to a lack of pricing information available to patients.

“The result is a system where the party bearing the cost has the least information to evaluate it,” he said.

Why Medical Consumables Are Different

Mundhe also highlighted what he described as a regulatory gap between scheduled medicines and medical consumables.

He said scheduled medicines are subject to price ceilings under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, while many medical devices and consumables are not covered by equivalent price controls.

As a result, he said, there can be limited oversight of both the pricing of these products and the information available to patients about their costs.

Recommendations for Pricing Rules

Mundhe said the findings have been reviewed and recommendations have been sent to the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

One of the proposed measures is to establish clearer guidelines on the permissible difference between the trade procurement price of medical consumables and their declared MRP.

According to Mundhe, such guidelines could help improve transparency and address the pricing and information gap faced by patients.

The Maharashtra FDA has also been carrying out enforcement drives across the state under Mundhe, including inspections and action against food establishments and other facilities found violating regulatory requirements.