A debate on exorbitant markups on hospital consumables focuses on middle-class medical expenses. Highlighting price inflations ranging up to 2,800 percent on essential consumable goods like IV sets and catheters, the discussion delves into the absence of legal price caps. Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan clarifies that whilst hospitals must strictly follow the Maximum Retail Price, there are currently no price caps on consumables unlike essential medicines, stressing: ‘There must be what is called a trade margin rationalization.’ Abhijeet Bose, Chief Operating Officer of Consumer Voice, underlines that captive patients are forced to bear disproportionate costs, eroding trust in healthcare systems. Both experts call for strict regulatory oversight and price management.