Mumbai: Medical devices industry has backed Maharashtra FDA Commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe’s push to introduce more transparent trade‑margin caps on hospital consumables.
This comes after the Maharashtra FDA flagged massive price differences of up to 2,841% between the procurement cost and the printed MRP of hospital consumables.
The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) welcomed the intervention adding that it was proof that the current regulatory framework under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 is inadequate for medical devices.
In a statement urging the government to act on price regulation AiMed said, “Patients, who cannot bargain or choose devices, are left vulnerable to inflated MRPs, while ethical manufacturers and importers are forced to either play within a distorted system or exit the market. This situation penalises both consumers and responsible suppliers, eroding trust and competitiveness.”
“We urge regulators and policymakers to act on Mr. Mundhe’s call by instituting structured price monitoring and margin rationalisation , starting with some pilot studies on AiMeDs proposals as Policy making by evidence.Patients deserve fair prices, not inflated margins, and India deserves a medical device ecosystem that is affordable, ethical, and globally competitive.”
The Medical Technology Association of India also came out in support of a fairer pricing system.
Pavan Choudary Chairman, Medical Technology Association of India, said, “According to reports, in his communication to the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Mr. Mundhe recommended three key steps: rationalising margins, conducting an inter-agency review, and establishing clear guidelines on the acceptable difference between trade procurement costs and declared MRPs. MTaI fully backs all three recommendations, as they reinforce the position MTaI has maintained since 2016 and reflect the core idea behind the implementation of Trade Margin Rationalization (TMR).”
“TMR is a well-tested, evidence-backed tool that adds predictability, transparency and corrects market distortions while preserving the investment needed for MedTech innovation and healthcare worker training in India,” Choudhary added.
