The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on September 5 ordered an inquiry into unfair practices by super-specialty hospitals in Delhi in respect of healthcare products and services provided to in-patients.

Earlier, the CCI was investigating alleged violations of the Competition Act relating to imposition of unfair prices by private super-speciality hospitals. Based on the investigation report submitted by the Director General, the Commission noted that huge profit margins were being earned by sale of products to the locked-in in-patients. "To protect the interest of consumers, the Commission (has) decided to widen the scope of investigation to cover the practices of super-specialty hospitals across Delhi in respect of healthcare products and services provided to their in-patients," an official statement said. 

"Investigation will focus on the products sold by the super-specialty hospitals to their in-patients which are not required on an urgent basis for any medical procedure or intervention or which do not involve any high degree of quality issue from the medical procedure point of view, and for the purchase of which the patients have the time and scope to exercise their rational choice to purchase such products from open market where such products may be available at lower rates," it said. By broadening the scope of investigation, the Commission aims to prevent practices having adverse effect on competition in the tertiary healthcare sector, it added.