The West Bengal government will come up with a model pathological guideline for COVID-19 treatment following reports of patients being overcharged on account of clinical examinations, an official said on August 10.

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An order issued by the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission said it would urge experts to prepare protocols that would help in bringing down the expenses of coronavirus patients. "It has come to the notice of the Commission, a few clinical establishments are charging hefty amounts on account of pathological tests, some of which are probably unnecessary," the notification said.

The Commission has gone through a recent bill raised by a clinical establishment, where a patient was charged around Rs 22 lakh out of which Rs seven lakh was on account of pathological tests, it said. "Hence, the Commission feels it expedient to have a model pathological guideline for COVID-19 treatment with or without comorbidity. For such purpose, the Commission would request experts to prepare a guideline that would ultimately reduce the financial burden of the patient or the patient party," the order said. The proposed guideline should be suggestive and recommendatory in nature, and would not be having any binding effect on the treating doctor who would be the final authority to decide on the issue, it added.