Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has called on the central government to address what he describes as the 'irrational and unjustified' pricing of medical consumables used in hospitals. The request follows an investigation into the billing practices of private healthcare facilities, where Mundhe highlighted a stark discrepancy between the procurement cost and the final price charged to patients.

As a primary example, Mundhe pointed to an IV set that was purchased for Rs 11 but sold to a patient for Rs 325. According to the FDA Commissioner, such markups are common across a range of essential hospital items, placing an undue financial burden on patients. Mundhe argues that current regulatory frameworks are insufficient to curb these practices and has urged the Centre to implement stricter price controls or review mechanisms to ensure that medical supplies remain affordable for the general public.

While the report focuses on the Commissioner's push for federal intervention, it does not detail the response from hospital associations or the central government's current stance on regulating these specific consumables. The call for action highlights a growing tension between state-level regulatory oversight and the pricing autonomy currently exercised by private healthcare providers regarding non-drug consumables.