On July 19th, National Health Minister Adolfo Rubinstein led a high-level technical meeting between teams from the health ministry and PAHO to work on the development of a comprehensive policy on access to medications and medical technologies. The participants highlighted the initiative promoted by the Executive branch to create a national agency for the evaluation of health technologies (AGNET),  to be discussed in the Senate in the upcoming weeks.

The experts highlighted the existence of installed capacities for the production of quality medicines, a reference regulatory authority and health programmes that enable social access to medicines. The discussion focused on improving the articulation of these elements through an approach that weighed the efficiency of public investment in health, the incorporation of scientific and cost-opportunity criteria in the selection of health technologies covered by the Mandatory Medical Plan, and the future role of AGNET. The meeting was also attended by representatives of ANMAT (National Drug, Food and Medical Technology Administration, by its spanish acronym) , national and provincial health insurances institutions, prepaid medical entities and PAMI.

The development of guidelines related to the registration, qualification and control of medicines and the policy of joint purchases initiated by Argentina was also discussed. The day before, PAMI (Comprehensive Health Care Program, by its spanish acronym) had inaugurated a bidding process for 23 oncological drugs which is estimated to produce savings of almost 50 million dollars. The result is expected to be announced within the next 60 days. The following bidding process for the supply of 36 high-cost drugs, including oncological drugs, will be carried out jointly by the Ministries of Health of the Nation and the province of Buenos Aires, IOMA (Institute of Medical Assistential of the Province of Buenos Aires, by its spanish acronym) and other health insurances institutions.