Bengaluru, Oct. 1 -- The Karnataka Government has flagged a massive disparity between the landing cost and Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of high-cost drugs and medical consumables supplied to hospitals and has sought Central Government intervention.

In a press note issued by the Office of the Commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration on October 1, the government said recent inspections in hospitals treating cancer, where high-cost drugs are used, have revealed alarming pricing anomalies.

Investigations by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration found that pharmaceutical companies are supplying medicines to hospitals at heavily discounted institutional prices, while patients are being billed at or near the printed MRP. Thi...