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- Kerala has become the first state to set up a Price Monitoring and Research Unit (PMRU). It aims to track violation of prices of essential drugs and medical devices under the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO) — the orders issued by Government declaring a ceiling price for essential and lifesaving medicines.
- The functions of PMRU are a) offer technical help to the State Drug Controllers and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to monitor notified prices of medicines, b) detect violation of the provisions of the DPCO, c) ensure price compliance, d) collect test samples of medicines, e) collect and compile market-based data of drugs.
- National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy provides for regulatory framework for pricing of essential drugs. National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is the apex body which controls and monitors drug prices.
