MEXICO

On February 16, the Health Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved the bill that regulates the prescription of drugs by obliging the use of their generic name. The text was approved without changes, obtaining 30 votes in favor, none against and no abstentions. The initiative is now ready to be debated by the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, where it could be discussed in the short term. If it is approved without changes in that instance, it will be passed to the Executive Branch for enactment.

The bill amends the General Health Law in force by modifying the following points:

• The scope of article 225 is extended to drugs that are prescribed through medical prescription. Thus, these must be prescribed and identified by their generic and distinctive names. The generic identification will always be mandatory. 

• The issuer of the medical prescription will prescribe the drugs in their generic denomination and, if he/she wishes, may indicate the distinctive denomination of his/her preference, informing the patient about the therapeutic options. 

• The changes will be regulated within 180 days after the entry into force of this decree. 

Although the text advanced unanimously in the Committee, Deputy Arturo Hernandez (MORENA – ruling party) announced that he would present a proposal of modification before the plenary to include a “padlock” that would prevent this project from being incorrectly implemented.  The Deputy did not explain what such change would consist of.