Days after Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe flagged a yawning gap between the procurement prices and maximum retail prices (MRPs) of hospital consumables, the Union Government has ordered a review of the issue.Union Health and Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister JP Nadda on Saturday directed the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to hold meetings and discussions with stakeholders from the medical sector and hospitals on the high mark-ups on hospital consumables.The directive followed a key meeting with the Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, convened after Mundhe flagged significant disparities between trade prices and MRPs of various hospital-use items.Earlier this week, Mundhe had written to the Union Government recommending measures to reduce the pricing gaps in consumables that are procured by hospitals in bulk at low prices but are sold to unsuspecting patients at substantially higher rates.Mundhe said the highest component of the hospital bill may not even touch a hospital, while patients have little or no way of knowing the real cost of consumables charged by hospitals.