Hospitals 'profiteering' by selling Remdesivir at printed rate: Maharashtra

Several hospitals in Maharashtra

have been recovering the printed price of Remdesivir injections, used for COVID-19 treatment, from the patients and making profit, officials said on Thursday.

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has now proposed to the Center that the printed retail price on the injection be lowered to avoid patients getting overcharged.

The FDA and Medical Education and Drugs departments held joint meetings in this regard last week, an official statement said.

It came to light that hospitals are recovering the printed price or MRP from patients.

"Since February this year, the printed price on the 100 mg Remdesivir was not reduced though the actual selling price by wholesalers to hospitals was brought down by the state government.

"However, most of the hospitals were found quoting the printed price to the patients which was 10 to 30 per cent higher (than the procurement cost)," it said.

Hospitals were thus found to be "profiteering", the government said.

The departments proposed that private hospitals be allowed to charge up to 30 per cent more over the printed price on the 100 mg Remdesivir injection. The FDA accepted the proposal and the final price will be decided soon, it said.

At the same time, the printed price will be kept minimum so that it would not put burden on patients, it added.

The FDA has sent a proposal to the Center, asking it to keep the retail price lower under the Drugs Price Control Order 2013, the state government said.