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UP Hospitals Overcharged Patients for Medicines
4 Oct
Summary
- Hospitals allegedly bought medicines cheaply but charged patients near MRP.
- FSDA inspected 52 hospital pharmacies across 17 districts.
- Discrepancies found in medicine pricing, storage, and licensing.
A significant crackdown on medicine pricing in Uttar Pradesh has brought hospital pharmacies under intense investigation. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) uncovered alleged practices where hospitals purchased medicines at considerably lower rates but charged patients prices nearing the maximum retail price (MRP).
During a special inspection campaign conducted recently, FSDA teams examined 52 hospital pharmacies across 17 districts. These included government and private medical colleges, as well as private hospitals. The focus was not just on medicine availability and quality, but critically on the entire pricing chain from procurement to patient billing.
Officials identified discrepancies where manufacturers had printed high MRPs, while pharmacies acquired these medicines at substantially reduced costs. Notices are being issued to hospitals, suppliers, and manufacturers to explain their pricing strategies and compliance with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
The inspections also identified issues related to medicine storage, record maintenance, and the availability of qualified pharmacists. In Lucknow, a wholesale firm faced a halt in sales due to storage and record-keeping shortcomings. In Varanasi, issues with pharmacist presence were noted. Lucknow and Noida also reported deficiencies in cold-chain maintenance at three hospital pharmacies.
