Context: Recently, a Price Monitoring and Resource Unit has been set up in Karnataka under the aegis of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
About PMRU

• It will function at the State level under the direct supervision of the State Drug Controller for increasing outreach of NPPA.
• They are societies registered under the Societies Registration Act having its own Memorandum of Association/ Bye laws.
• The Board of Governors of PMRU includes the representatives from Central Government and State Government concerned and other stakeholders.
• They are expected to strengthen drug security and affordability at regional levels.

Its Functions

• To assist NPPA in monitoring of prices of drugs, ensuring availability of drugs and raising consumer awareness.
• They act as collaborating partners of NPPA with information gathering mechanism at the grass-roots level.
• They will render necessary technical assistance to both the NPPA and the respective State Drug Controllers of States/ Union Territories.

About Consumer Awareness, Publicity and Price Monitoring (CAPPM)

• NPPA, under its Central Sector Scheme named Consumer Awareness, Publicity and Price Monitoring (CAPPM), has set up of PMRUs in 12 States/ UTs.
• They include Kerala, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram and Jammu & Kashmir.
• NPPA has plans to set up PMRUs in all the 36 States/ UTs.
• The expenses of PMRUs, both recurring and non-recurring are borne by NPPA under the Scheme.