Uttar Pradesh authorities uncover massive medicine price disparities

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has uncovered massive pricing disparities in medicines sold through pharmacies in medical colleges and private hospitals across the state. An examination of 214 pharmacies revealed that 36 out of 130 identified medicines had maximum retail prices (MRPs) exceeding their purchase costs by more than 10 times.

The most significant gap was found in Polymyxin-B injections, used for serious bacterial infections, which were procured for Rs 74.09 but sold with an MRP of Rs 4,980.94. Other notable disparities included an injection for liver disease with a 54-fold markup and Caspofungin, used for fungal infections, which saw MRPs as high as Rs 21,230 against a procurement cost of Rs 800.

The FSDA noted that these unusually high MRPs may facilitate substantial trade margins and discounts throughout the supply chain. Similar price gaps were also observed in medicines for cancer treatment and various medical devices.