MEXICO

The Labour Party’s parliamentary group (allied to the ruling party) held a forum in the Chamber of Deputies to discuss universal access to high-quality and low-cost medicines with experts. Some of the issues addressed at the working tables were: the human right to health in Mexico, the national legal framework and the country’s pharmaceutical policy. The general panel was chaired by Senator Geovanna Bañuelos, deputies Reginaldo Sandoval Flores and Armando Zertuche (Labor Party – allied to the ruling party), Cecilia Acuña, representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in Mexico, Elia Cecilia Bravo Lamicq representing the National Association of Drug Manufacturers (ANAFAM). Also present was Dr. Alfredo Jalife-Rahme who presented a document entitled “The Medicines Shortages Challenge”. Legislator Bañuelos is confident that the event will be instrumental in translating the issues discussed into legislative proposals, although Congress will be in recess until September 1st.

Cecilia Acuña, the PAHO/WHO representative, presented a document to the legislators containing the recommendations included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to provide universal access to medicines. This plan encourages countries to implement strategies to guarantee the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and to improve equitable access. Acuña also recommended adopting medication policies focused on aspects such as access, quality and rational use. The PAHO also recommended that the legislature refer to a combination of different pharmaceutical pricing policies in order to guarantee objectives, based on the context of the health system. Additionally they suggested using guaranteed quality generic medicine.

ANAFAM’s Elia Cecilia Bravo Lamicq gave a presentation about promoting universal access to medicines based on four axes: the first refers to quality which would maintain the qualification levels defined by the Federal Commission for the Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS), the second aims to keep product costs down, the third focuses on efficiency, and the last looks at how to foster greater competitiveness in the pharmaceutical market. 

Deputy Sandoval said that it is necessary to release those patents that have already expired in order to guarantee access to essential medicines. Senator Bañuelos agreed and express his hopes “that everything discussed can be translated into legislative proposals,” acknowledging that many of the country’s health problems are rooted in the scarcity of doctors in remote areas.