When a patient is admitted to a private hospital, the cost of an IV set, syringe, catheter or nebuliser mask is usually one of the least questioned components of the final bill. Unlike medicines, which patients can sometimes compare across pharmacies, consumables used during hospitalisation are largely selected and billed by the healthcare facility.

A Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) survey has now highlighted the extent of the price variation in such commonly used medical items, prompting FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe to seek a review of the pricing mechanism from the Centre.