Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe Calls for Regulation of Hospital Consumable Prices

A state-run market survey of private hospitals in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Sambhaji Nagar found that the trade price at which hospitals purchase basic medical consumables is far lower than the maximum retail price (MRP) printed on the items sold to patients. An intravenous (IV) infusion set bought for INR11.05 carries an MRP of INR325 – a 2,841 % markup. A 10 ml syringe procured for INR6.75 is billed at INR57.20 (? 747 %), and a catheter bought for INR29.41 is listed at INR310 (? 955 %).

‘2,841% markup on IV sets’: Maharashtra FDA flags huge price gaps in medical products Medical device industry backs Tukaram Mundhe's call for review of pricing rules Rs 11 IV Set Sold For Rs 325: Tukaram Mundhe Asks Centre To Intervene Centre seeks NPPA report on high markups in hospital consumables

The July 2026 survey examined invoices from roughly 20–25 hospitals and identified margins of 200–300 % on some items, with the highest disparities shown above.

Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe Writes To NPPA, Flags 2,841% Margin On IV Set, Seeks Action To Rationalise Medical Device Prices

Mundhe said the MRP is often fixed upstream by manufacturers and distributors, creating an “information gap” that leaves patients with the least data to evaluate charges. He framed the request as a step toward closing both the pricing gap and the information gap for patients.

The Hindu

Industry representatives argued that patients deserve fair prices and that an ethical pricing framework would preserve competitiveness while protecting consumers.

Maharashtra FDA flags 2,841% markup on hospital IV infusion set

The mark-ups affect out-of-pocket expenses for patients undergoing routine inpatient treatment, a cost burden that cannot be mitigated by price comparison or bargaining. By exposing the “asymmetry of information” in the supply chain, the survey highlights a regulatory gap: while scheduled medicines are capped under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, most medical devices and consumables fall outside that framework, leaving pricing and related information “almost entirely unmonitored.”

The Hindu

• July 2026 – Survey of hospital consumables conducted across four categories.

The Indian Express

• July 31 2026 – Mundhe discussed the issue in an interview with *India Today*.

Hindustan Times

• September 9 2026 – Letter to the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, urging review of the findings.

Hindustan Times

• September 16 2026 – Multiple outlets publish the survey results and Mundhe’s statements.

2,800% markup? Tukaram Mundhe says consumers can't be taken for a ride on medical pricing

• “The most expensive part of a hospital bill may never touch the hospital at all,” — Tukaram Mundhe

The Indian Express

• “Story continues below this ad “After studying this, I submitted a policy proposal to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, saying we need intervention.” — Tukaram Mundhe

The Indian Express

• “This steep escalation is completely irrational and unjustified, as the initial procurement cost already fully covers the manufacturer's total expenses including production, product development, marketing, distribution, and profit margins,” — Tukaram Mundhe

Rs 11 IV Set Sold For Rs 325: Tukaram Mundhe Asks Centre To Intervene

• “This is not merely a pricing issue; it is a patient-protection issue,” — Tukaram Mundhe

INR11 IV set, INR325 price tag: Tukaram Mundhe flags over 2,800% markup on medical devices' pricing

The NPPA is examining company filings and internal price lists against the Maharashtra survey and has received similar representations from commissioners in Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The authority is expected to issue guidelines on the “permissible gap” between trade procurement price and declared MRP and to consider structured price monitoring for essential medical-device categories. The final regulatory decision will rest with the Department of Pharmaceuticals after inter-agency consultation.

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