NPPANew Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) Fortis hospital at Gurgaoncharged as high as 1,700 per cent margin on consumables andmedicines used for the treatment of a dengue patient whosubsequently died of the illness, the National PharmaceuticalPricing Authority (NPPA) said today.
Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, charged amargin of up to 1,737 per cent on procurement price on athree-way stop cock, the regulator said.
The procurement price of the consumable per unit stood atRs 5.77 while the hospital charged Rs 106 per unit for theproduct, it added.
The consumables listed by the NPPA included items such assyringes, gloves and towels among others.
Last month, the NPPA had asked Fortis Healthcare toprovide copies of bills in relation to allegations that itsGurgaon-based hospital overcharged the family of a seven-yearold girl, who died of dengue.
Regarding the non-scheduled formulations, NPPA said thehospital charged the family a margin as high as 914 per cent.
Elaborating, the NPPA said the hospital charged Rs 287.50for Dotamin 200 mg whose procurement price per unit stood atRs 28.35, a margin of 914 per cent.
Fortis also charged Rs 3,112.50 for Merocrit 1 GM thuscharging a margin of 670 per cent. The hospital had procuredthe formulation at Rs 404.32 per unit, the regulator said.
Regarding the scheduled formulations which are under theambit of price control, the NPPA said the hospital charged upto 343 per cent from the family of Adya.
The per unit procurement price of Tranemic by thehospital stood at Rs 15.75 while it was billed at Rs 69.77 perunit to the family.
The regulator gave a list of 39 scheduled formulations,41 non-scheduled formulations and 96 consumables that wereused for the treatment of Adya.
"NPPA shall be taking necessary follow up action as perexisting law and with in its jurisdiction," the regulatorsaid.
The reply of Fortis Healthcare could not be obtained atthe time of filing the story.
The drug authority's action came after the Union HealthMinistry asked all states to issue strict warnings and takeaction against hospitals, including private ones, whichindulge in malpractices such as overcharging and do not followstandard treatment protocols. PTI AKT/MSS ANZMR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.