In mid January, Health Committee senators passed a bill establishing the national cancer program. It creates a register of patients and promotes investment in the fight against this disease, in line with recommendations from the WHO and OECD. It could be debated on the Senate floor in early March. For its part, the Deputies’ Health Committee continued on January 22 with the study of the Drug II bill that regulates generic bioequivalents. This is likely to be passed by the Committee in March.

After the senators of the Health Committee passed the anti cancer bill, it was sent to the Senate’s floor. Its debate will be resumed at the beginning of March, when Congress returns to ordinary activity after the February recess. It’s expected the bill be passed easily, since there is political consensus on it.

At the same time, deputies advanced in committee with the debate of the Drug II bill. This bill updates the Health Code and regulates generic bioequivalents and the integration of drug companies and pharmacies. It will make the marketing of drugs more transparent and will reduce consumer prices. Legislators are working on the text in phases. For the time being, they agreed to reject the proposal for the sale of drugs in supermarkets. They will resume their study in mid-March.