Nisha Pandey

World Patient Safety Day: With 2800% Margin, Costly Hospital Consumables Can Threaten Patient Safety; Here’s How

Something as basic as an <span>IV set</span>, <span>syringe</span>, cannula or <span>catheter</span> can make a huge difference in a patient’s essential care and treatment. But a recent FDA survey has raised questions about the affordability of these hospital consumables and whether the lack of transparency in pricing can pose a threat to patient safety. 

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner <span>Tukaram Mundhe</span> recently flagged exorbitantly priced hospital consumables and medical devices used in inpatient departments. 

The food and drug regulator sought Centre’s intervention to straighten pricing of essential and life-saving medical devices, saying these practices should be ideally “fair, transparent and ethical”. 

<h2><span rel="noindex">Maharashtra FDA</span> Chief Tukaram Mundhe Flags Costly Hospital Consumables </h2>

The <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/indian-medical-industry-backs-maharashtra-fda-crackdown-on-device-markups-article-156166929" data-type="tilCustomLink">Maharashtra State Price Monitoring Resource Unit</a>, operating under the state FDA, recently conducted the market survey covering medical devices used in inpatient departments, including IV sets, syringes, nebuliser, and oxygen-mask kits, and other consumables. 

The survey found that some commonly used medical devices had a gap of up to 2,841% between procurement prices and printed maximum retail prices (MRPs). 

For example, an IV infusion set purchased for Rs 11.05 was listed at an MRP of Rs 325. A 10 ml syringe purchased for Rs 6.75 had an MRP of Rs 57.20, while a catheter bought for Rs 29.41 had an MRP of Rs 310. 

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/ciplas-drug-license-cancelled-over-reactin-plus-then-restored-why-did-bombay-hc-pull-up-maharashtra-fda-article-156014454" data-type="tilCustomLink">Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe</a> has sought intervention from the Centre and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), arguing that patients admitted to hospitals are not in the position to bargain over medical products that are essential to their treatment. They may not have the opportunity to compare prices, search for another brand, or simply refuse the product. 

In a recent interview, Mundhe said, “A trade margin of 2800 per cent is by any terms not acceptable, either as a consumer or as a hospital or as a regulator.” 

Mundhe highlighted this problem in his letter to the Department of Pharmaceuticals, writing, “Because hospitalised patients critically require these non-negotiable surgical consumables during active treatment, they possess zero bargaining power in IPD settings.” 

He also described the steep pricing as “completely irrational and unjustified” and argued that the absence of strict statutory price caps for several medical-device categories can leave patients facing large and opaque price differences. 

The Centre has now sought a report from the NPPA on the price discrepancies flagged by the Maharashtra FDA.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/syphilis-among-australian-women-has-risen-by-167-in-the-last-decade-how-it-can-affect-pregnancy-newborns-article-156173734" data-type="tilCustomLink">Syphilis Among Australian Women Has Risen By 167% In The Last Decade: How It Can Affect Pregnancy &amp; Newborns?</a> 

<h2>Costly Hospital Consumables May Become A Patient-Safety Issue </h2>

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/world-patient-safety-day-why-insulin-innovation-in-diabetes-care-demands-an-ecosystem-approach-article-156172445" data-type="tilCustomLink">World Patient Safety Day</a> is observed on September 17 every year to raise global awareness about the safety of patients and reduce preventable harm in healthcare. 

As far as patient safety is concerned, it is not only about whether a device is sterile, functional, or medically appropriate. Affordability and transparency can also influence whether patients are able to access and continue necessary treatment. 

A fat hospital bill may cause financial burden, discouraging patients from seeking timely treatment. For families paying out of pocket, unexpected costs can affect decisions about where to seek care, whether to continue treatment or whether to delay non-emergency follow-up. 

Mundhe has described the issue directly as a patient-protection concern, saying, “This is not merely a pricing issue; it is a patient-protection issue.”

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/ferritin-face-can-pale-skin-signal-iron-deficiency-article-156173590" data-type="tilCustomLink">Ferritin Face: Can Pale Skin Signal Iron Deficiency?</a> 

<h2>Industry’s Response To The Maharashtra FDA </h2>

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The procurement price of a device, however, cannot automatically be treated as the final cost of safely delivering it to a patient. 

Hospitals may incur costs related to sterile storage, inventory, staff, emergency availability, wastage, expiry, infrastructure, quality checks, and safe disposal. 

Industry representatives have therefore argued that pricing frameworks should distinguish between basic commodity consumables and complex medical technologies. 

In a statement, the <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/us-fda-to-hold-psychedelic-drug-hearing-amid-trump-push-what-it-means-for-depression-ptsd-article-156157480" data-type="tilCustomLink">Association of Healthcare Providers of India</a> (AHPI) said, “Price of device or medicine is very small part of overall cost of administering healthcare, which include manpower (doctors, nurses, paramedical, administration etc.) maintaining infection free environment, infrastructure etc.” 

They also reacted to Maharashtra FDA’s pricing concerns and said that hospitals play no part in setting up MRPs of these products.

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Something as basic as an IV set, syringe, cannula or catheter can make a huge difference in a patient’s essential care and treatment. But a recent FDA survey has raised questions about the affordability of these hospital consumables and whether the lack of transparency in pricing can pose a threat to patient safety. Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe recently flagged exorbitantly priced hospital consumables and medical devices used in inpatient departments. The food and drug regulator sought Centre’s intervention to straighten pricing of essential and life-saving medical devices, saying these practices should be ideally “fair, transparent and ethical”. Maharashtra FDA Chief Tukaram Mundhe Flags Costly Hospital Consumables The Maharashtra State Price Monitoring Resource Unit, operating under the state FDA, recently conducted the market survey covering medical devices used in inpatient departments, including IV sets, syringes, nebuliser, and oxygen-mask kits, and other consumables. The survey found that some commonly used medical devices had a gap of up to 2,841% between procurement prices and printed maximum retail prices (MRPs). For example, an IV infusion set purchased for Rs 11.05 was listed at an MRP of Rs 325. A 10 ml syringe purchased for Rs 6.75 had an MRP of Rs 57.20, while a catheter bought for Rs 29.41 had an MRP of Rs 310. Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has sought intervention from the Centre and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), arguing that patients admitted to hospitals are not in the position to bargain over medical products that are essential to their treatment. They may not have the opportunity to compare prices, search for another brand, or simply refuse the product. In a recent interview, Mundhe said, “A trade margin of 2800 per cent is by any terms not acceptable, either as a consumer or as a hospital or as a regulator.” Mundhe highlighted this problem in his letter to the Department of Pharmaceuticals, writing, “Because hospitalised patients critically require these non-negotiable surgical consumables during active treatment, they possess zero bargaining power in IPD settings.” He also described the steep pricing as “completely irrational and unjustified” and argued that the absence of strict statutory price caps for several medical-device categories can leave patients facing large and opaque price differences. The Centre has now sought a report from the NPPA on the price discrepancies flagged by the Maharashtra FDA.Also read: Syphilis Among Australian Women Has Risen By 167% In The Last Decade: How It Can Affect Pregnancy & Newborns? Costly Hospital Consumables May Become A Patient-Safety Issue World Patient Safety Day is observed on September 17 every year to raise global awareness about the safety of patients and reduce preventable harm in healthcare. As far as patient safety is concerned, it is not only about whether a device is sterile, functional, or medically appropriate. Affordability and transparency can also influence whether patients are able to access and continue necessary treatment. A fat hospital bill may cause financial burden, discouraging patients from seeking timely treatment. For families paying out of pocket, unexpected costs can affect decisions about where to seek care, whether to continue treatment or whether to delay non-emergency follow-up. Mundhe has described the issue directly as a patient-protection concern, saying, “This is not merely a pricing issue; it is a patient-protection issue.”Also read: Ferritin Face: Can Pale Skin Signal Iron Deficiency? Industry’s Response To The Maharashtra FDA                The procurement price of a device, however, cannot automatically be treated as the final cost of safely delivering it to a patient. Hospitals may incur costs related to sterile storage, inventory, staff, emergency availability, wastage, expiry, infrastructure, quality checks, and safe disposal. Industry representatives have therefore argued that pricing frameworks should distinguish between basic commodity consumables and complex medical technologies. In a statement, the Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI) said, “Price of device or medicine is very small part of overall cost of administering healthcare, which include manpower (doctors, nurses, paramedical, administration etc.) maintaining infection free environment, infrastructure etc.” They also reacted to Maharashtra FDA’s pricing concerns and said that hospitals play no part in setting up MRPs of these products.

world patient safety day: with 2800% margin, costly hospital consumables can threaten patient safety; here’s how

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World Patient Safety Day: With 2800% Margin, Costly Hospital Consumables Can Threaten Patient Safety; Here’s How

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World Patient Safety Day: With 2800% Margin, Costly Hospital Consumables Can Threaten Patient Safety; Here’s How

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