MEXICO

On March 24, the Senate passed a bill authored by Senator Miguel Mancera (Partido de la Revolución Democrática – opposition) which acknowledges that the detection, prevention, treatment and follow-up of breast cancer is a general health issue. The text was sent to the Chamber of Deputies for further debate. The Deputies also passed a bill establishing taxes to be levied on the import and export of medicines, including those containing rituximab. The text is now in the Senate for further debate. 

The new bill not only recognizes that breast cancer is a health issue, but also considers mastectomy and reconstructive mammoplasty as basic health services, including quality implants as well as medical and psychological care throughout the process. It also states that patients receiving these types of services should be included on the National Cancer Register. It also obliges public health institutions to ensure that programs and mechanisms are in place to provide low-income people with free access to mastectomies if required. 

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Deputies passed a bill creating the Law of General Taxes on Imports and Exports which aims to establish the tax to be levied on each product when entering or leaving the country. The products covered are medicines containing rituximab. The text will now go to the Senate, where the plan is to discuss it in the medium term.