REINING 'EM IN: FDCA prescribes bitter pill for hospitals

Issues guidelines asking hospitals not to force patients to buy meds from in-house pharmacies; guidelines aimed at curbing inflated medicine costs; pvt hospitals raise quality concerns

- Kuldeep Tiwari

Hospitals will not be able to force patients to buy medicines from their in-house pharmacies. The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) issued new guidelines on Saturday requiring hospitals to display signs in their in-house medicine stores stating that patients were not required to buy medicines from there. This move aims to prevent hospitals from forcing patients to purchase overpriced medications. However, private hospitals have expressed concerns about the order, citing potential risks and logistical challenges.

Ensuring affordable medication

According to Gujarat FDCA commissioner Dr HG Koshiya, the state government is committed to ensuring that citizens have access to essential medicines that are both high-quality and affordable. “We have noticed that patients receiving treatment at hospitals are often compelled to buy medicines from the in-house medical stores,” Dr Koshiya said, adding, “This prevents them from accessing generic or other cheaper alternatives.”