Hyderabad hospital sells medicines to patient at exorbitant prices: DCA
Hyderabad: The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) conducted a raid on Hyderabad Multispeciality Hospital in Judges Colony, Malakpet and detected the sale of medicines to patients at exorbitant prices exceeding the prices indicated on the labels.
Sales bills of drugs sold at higher prices were seized, and a case was registered against the hospital under the Essential Commodities Act- 1955, read with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. On November 28, the DCA officials raided the hospital and detected the sale of medicines at excessively high prices, exceeding the MRP printed on the labels of the medicines.
The MRP on the label of zofer injection is Rs.13.35 but the hospital charged Rs.150, which is Rs.136.65 lakh additionally. Similarly, the MRP on the label of Avil injection is Rs.6.16, but Rs.100 was collected, charging an additional amount of Rs.93.84, the DCA said.
The hospital charged exorbitantly NS 100 ml normal saline, Spafast-D injection, NS 500 ml normal saline, the DCA Director-General VB Kamalasan Reddy said on Saturday.
The medicines sold at exorbitant prices include normal saline injections, Avil Injection (Pheniramine Maleate Injection), which is used to treat allergic conditions, Zofer Injection (Ondansetron Injection), which is used to treat and prevent nausea and vomiting, IV Sets, which are used to administer medications or fluids to a patient through the intravenous (IV) route, and Spafast-D Injection (Thiocolchicoside + Diclofenac Injection), which is used to relieve pain.
During the raid, the DCA officials seized sales bills for drugs sold at exorbitant prices at the pharmacy located within the hospital. According to Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, no person shall sell any medicine to a consumer at a price exceeding the price indicated on the label of the medicine pack. Contravention of this rule is punishable under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, read with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, with imprisonment and a fine.
The public may report any suspected manufacturing activity related to drugs, including narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, in residential, commercial, or industrial areas, as well as any other complaints regarding illegal activities concerning medicines, through the DCA’s toll-free number 1800-599-6969, which is operational from 10.30 am to 5 pm on all working days.
