The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), in an investigation of treatment costs at private hospitals, has found these hospitals are making a profit of up to 1,700 per cent on drugs and consumables. For items like normal saline, the margin is 316 per cent. An oxygen mask procured for Rs 26.41 has a maximum retail price of Rs 230.

The margin on this is 771 per cent. The drug price controller also noted hospitals were deliberately prescribing non-scheduled drugs over scheduled drugs. Scheduled drugs are those under a price cap. The drug price controller also states ...