The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned two Fortis hospitals in the city of strict action for allegedly reusing disposable angio medical devices and overcharging patients for them.
"As a result of our investigation, we published demo notices to Fortis hospitals in the Mulund and Vashi suburbs (Navi Mumbai) to recycle and reuse single-use medical devices on multiple patients. Appropriate action, "said FDA Commissioner Harshdeep Kamble. According to the law, if convicted, officials in these hospitals can face a two-year jail term, Kamble said.
FDA teams investigated another hospital - BSES Andheri - and found nothing inappropriate there, but found that two of the Fortis hospitals had violated the rules. Kamble said the probe by the FDA revealed that these two hospitals were reusing angio-medical devices such as guide catheters and balloon catheters used for angioplasty, a cardiac procedure.
They accused an enormous Rs 26,000 per piece, more than four times the MRP of Rs 6,000, he said, adding that the devices were, after use, sent to the pharmacy for billing and then the same devices Have been referred to the center of the sterile hospital supply department for sterilization and reuse. The Fortis Hospital in Mulund reused up to 66 of these aircraft between January and March, said the FDA Commissioner.
Meanwhile, President of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Bhupendra Singh, hosted the action of the Maharashtra FDA. When it was pointed out that re-use is permitted in many countries, Singh stated that there are rules for manufacturers and that they must respect certain ethics.
