The pharmaceutical industry in Mexico can grow between three and four times if the country promotes a comprehensive regulatory modernization that strengthens the legal framework linked to health innovation, declared the general director of Planning and Evaluation of the Ministry of Economy, Javier Dávila.
“If we keep pace with a State policy, the industry can grow between three and four times,” he said during the forum “Medical Innovation: Transforming the lives of patients,” organized by the pharmaceutical company Bayer and the SuMédico portal.
Dávila maintained that Mexico is “at a decisive point” and that the continuity of a State policy focused on clear rules, digitalization and greater coordination with international agencies would allow for investments to be triggered and accelerate the development of the sector.
Among the priority actions, he mentioned the digitalization of procedures, parallel approvals with reference regulatory agencies and the modernization of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI).
The forum opened with a message from the coordinator of Administrative Services of the Directorate of Medical Benefits of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), Carlos Flores Zarza, who highlighted that innovating means breaking inertia and modernizing processes that facilitate medical care.
As an example, he mentioned the new Digital Health Card, which already benefits more than 54 million beneficiaries.
Daniel Londero, general director of Bayer Mexico, stressed that the country is today one of the most relevant markets for the company’s clinical research. He explained that they are currently developing more than 30 clinical studies and evaluating another 40 in therapeutic areas such as cardiology, urology, mental health and the central nervous system.
Find out: Mexican pharmaceutical companies seek to grow their presence in the US
Priority challenges
In the case of chronic kidney disease (CKD), experts warned that between 10 and 12 million Mexicans live with this condition, but only 60,000 receive dialysis. They agreed that early detection, an increase in nephrologists and the availability of innovative treatments that delay kidney damage in people with diabetes for up to a decade are essential to alleviate the burden on patients and health systems.
In terms of hemophilia, doctors highlighted that therapeutic innovation has transformed the management of the disease: today prophylaxis makes it possible to prevent serious bleeding and disability.
Regarding teenage pregnancy, the panelists emphasized the need to strengthen sexual health education, guarantee access to contraceptives and create friendly spaces for young people.
In prostate cancer, they warned that only 25% of cases are diagnosed on time, which increases mortality, which is why they stressed the importance of overcoming taboos, encouraging annual reviews and taking advantage of new, more tolerable and effective therapies to improve survival.
The forum also addressed regulatory and legislative challenges, where authorities and legislators agreed that Mexico must accelerate registrations, digitize processes and update its regulatory framework to spark innovation.
With information from EFE.
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