Pricing of hospital consumables and medical devices is drawing fresh regulatory attention after a Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration survey found substantial gaps between procurement prices and printed maximum retail prices of commonly used hospital items. The findings have prompted the Indian Government to seek further examination of the pricing structure, with discussions reportedly underway with the healthcare sector and private hospitals on rationalizing trade margins for medical devices. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority is also reviewing the issue following concerns raised by the state regulator.

The Maharashtra FDA survey, conducted across hospitals in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, identified price differences ranging from 150% to nearly 2,800% for some consumables. One cited example involved an IV infusion set procured for…