Karnataka urges Centre to intervene as hospitals overcharge for medicines

Karnataka has raised concerns over hospitals charging patients excessively for medicines, with markups reaching as high as 52 times the actual cost of drugs. The state has appealed to the Centre to take steps to regulate and curb such malpractices in the healthcare sector.

The issue highlights the widening gap between pharmaceutical procurement costs and billing rates at hospital chains, placing a significant burden on patients seeking treatment.