ARGENTINA

On December 21, the Social Solidarity and Productive Reactivation act was passed, which in addition to other issues, declared a health emergency throughout the country. The regulation empowers the Executive Branch to enact a range of health measures in the context of a national emergency with the aim of guaranteeing access to medicines. “A policy of price-based access to medicine is a State priority for me. We must be able to guarantee people’s access to medicines,” explained Health Minister Ginés González García during the presentation of the bill.

The new legislation prioritizes different programs developed by the Health Ministry, including the Prevention and Control of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), and calls upon the National Health Advisory Council to propose alternatives to alleviate basic health care needs. It also empowers the Ministry of Health to monitor the prices of medicines and their alternatives for direct importation and licensing.

In addition, it establishes measures regulating a list of drugs and supplies to be purchased by the National Institute of Social Services for Retirees and Pensioners, and by the Superintendency of Health Services, providing reference prices for these by therapeutic band. It also covers controls and devices designed to promote generic drug prescription.

Within the context of the health emergency, the Ministry of Health may also use other means to acquire medicines and supplies, such as direct purchasing, resources provided from the PAHO/WHO Regional Revolving Fund for Strategic Public Health Supplies, and other purchase schemes through international organizations. 

The Ministry may also reallocate budget items to certain programs designated by the health emergency, including trusts, subsidies, grants, legacies, donations, credit or loan reassignments, and new loans. Meanwhile, vaccines imported by the Ministry of Health will not be subject to taxes or import duties, and will be exempt from paying VAT on imports.

The Ministry also announced that they would be reintroducing the Remediar Program, which aims to guarantee the provision of critical supplies and medicines at provincial and government healthcare centers.