Cristina Fernández challenged Javier Milei to deregulate the sector, an initiative that she did not promote in her twelve years at the two highest levels of the Executive Branch. Comparison of values, effect on budgets and the issue of generics.
In her speech today in Rosario Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) harshly criticized the government of Javier Milei and specifically attacked health policy, urging it to take on a particular challenge.
“These deregulate in favor of a very powerful few, those of the remedies. Let’s see, Milei, since you are so handsome: deregulate medicines so that we can have imported generic medicines, to reduce the cost of health budgets. Let’s see if you dare,” said the twice president and once vice president, who in her twelve years in the upper echelons of the Executive did not promote this measure.
“Tell the deregulator of the mega-swap (in reference to the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo) to be encouraged so that people can access medicines, so that it is not a martyrdom for a retiree to have to go to a pharmacy and leave half or “three quarters of the remedies he has to carry, because he doesn’t have enough money,” CFK challenged, continuing the saga of criticism they exchanged with the president and that allowed them to choose each other as adversaries, maintain centrality and occupy almost the entire of the political scene.
Beyond speculation, the truth is that the price of medicines and the fees of prepaid medicine companies is crucial for large groups of Argentine society, particularly the poorest sectors and retirees.
Alfredo Cornejo, governor of Mendoza
At the end of September, an Infobae investigation revealed, based on a comparison of a basket of 10 remedies in Argentina, Spain, the United States, Colombia and Peru, that medicines in Argentina are more expensive than in Spain and the United States. countries with much higher per capita income, and that price variations reach up to 1,000 percent. The director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Professionals then pointed out that in the Argentine pharmaceutical market “there is an abuse of the dominant position.” In the last year, more than 9 million units sold fell, but the turnover of Argentine laboratories rose by 332.9%
Then, a report from the Health Costs Observatory of the Argentine Health Union (UAS) warned about “accessibility barriers” due to the high prices of medicines and once again compared the local market with that of other countries. For example, he specified that Metformin, a medication frequently used to treat diabetes, cost $34,517 a month ago in Argentina, while in Spain it costs only 2.90 euros, that is, about $4,350, 87% less. And that Diclofenac 75, which sells for $20,455 in Argentina, costs 2.50 euros in Spain, equivalent to about $3,750, 82% less.
In the last year, more than 9 million units sold fell, but the turnover of Argentine laboratories rose by 332.9 percent
According to UAS data, between January 2017 and September 2024 the cost of medicinal products and health equipment increased 9,904.1%, a figure well above the general inflation of the same period (7,076%) and the increase of prepaid fees (6,425.2%), which led to spending on medicines within the private health system reaching 40% of total financial resources, more than double that a decade ago, when that proportion did not exceed 20 percent.
For his part, the governor of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo, began efforts to import drugs from India, the largest and cheapest supplier of generic drugs in the world, and said that his initiative had the endorsement of the Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, Federico Sturzenegger. In fact, from the deregulatory portfolio they then clarified that Law 16,463 on Medicines, passed in July 1964, during the government of the radical Arturo Illia, already allows it.
However, Cornejo declared that the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (Anmat), the agency that must authorize the distribution and marketing of remedies in Argentina, headed by Agustina Bisio, is delaying the authorization, as he noted in an interview. television on TN.
Mendoza’s efforts, which other provinces would join, are to import remedies for hypertension (Enalapril, Losartan); diabetes (Metformin); and hypothyroidism (Levothyroxine), in addition to antipyretics and analgesics (Ibuprofen); antacid (Omeprazole); antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Cephalexin, Azithromycin); and antifungal (Fluconazole), among others.
Anmat, Cornejo said, “is not aligned with the free market competition proposed by the national government as a method to lower prices.” The medications that Mendoza is looking to buy, he stated, “have a price well above neighboring countries, the US or Europe.” Furthermore, he added, they are used massively in Europe and the United States and are authorized by agencies similar to Anmat. “We want them to be authorized in Argentina, because we believe that: that due to competition, the prices of the most common and common medicines will drop,” he emphasized.
From India
Bisio, the head of Anmat, met earlier this month with the Indian ambassador to Argentina, Dinesh Bhatia, who advocates opening the Argentine market to generic medicines from his country. On Friday of last week, Bhatia held a reception in which Demián Reidel, the head of President Javier Milei’s Council of Advisors, and José Luis Daza, the Secretary of Economic Policy and second to the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, participated, although there was no official communication about these meetings and possible arrangements.
Dinesh Bhatia, Indian ambassador to Argentina (Giovanni Sacchetto)
Law 25,649, on “use of medicines by their generic name,” passed in August 2002, during the internal government of Eduardo Duhalde and the administration of Ginés González García as Minister of Health, supposedly encouraged the consumption of generics, but in its The second paragraph admitted the possibility of indicating the trademark, an ambiguity that destroyed the alleged objective of “ending the monopoly of trademarks and the influence of laboratories on doctors to prescribe medications,” he wrote. the economist and diplomat Felipe Frydman, knowledgeable in the ins and outs of patent and intellectual property issues due to his efforts in Europe, Asia and the US.
In 2015, a report from the Ministry of Economy titled “Pharmaceutical Complexes” pointed to the degree of cartelization of the sector. According to Frydman, the relationship between laboratories, distributors and drugstores is a barrier to entry to other pharmaceutical products. The local drug market, he wrote, “has an oligopolistic bias that acts as a barrier to incorporating new suppliers due to the lack of organization and volume for lower value products.”
By Sergio Serrichio
**PAA:** **Beyond deregulation, what specific policy recommendations or collaborative initiatives, as proposed by Dr. Sanchez and Mr. Garcia, could effectively bridge the gap between affordable medicine and sustainable business practices in Argentina?**
## Interview: Argentina’s Urgent Need for Affordable Medicine
**Host:** Welcome to World Today News. Today, we delve into a pressing issue facing Argentina: the high cost of medicine. Joining us are two distinguished guests: Dr. Maria Sanchez, a leading healthcare advocate and researcher, and Mr. Carlos Garcia, a pharmaceutical industry expert with extensive experience in global markets.
**Section 1: The Challenge of High Drug Prices**
**Host:** Dr. Sanchez, the article highlights the stark disparity between medication prices in Argentina compared to other countries, with some being up to 1000% more expensive. What are the main factors contributing to this high cost, and what are the consequences for Argentine citizens?
**Dr. Sanchez:**
**Host:** Mr. Garcia, from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry, how do you respond to these concerns about affordability? What are the key challenges in bringing down drug prices without compromising quality or innovation?
**Mr. Garcia:**
**Section 2: Deregulation and Generic Medications**
**Host:** The article mentions a heated debate surrounding deregulation and the role of generic drugs. Dr. Sanchez, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner challenged Javier Milei to deregulate the sector, implying that it could lead to cheaper generics. Do you see deregulation as a viable solution? What are the potential risks and benefits?
**Dr. Sanchez:**
**Host:** Mr. Garcia, what are the pharmaceutical industry’s views on deregulation and the import of generic drugs from countries like India? How might these changes impact the local market and the availability of medication?
**Mr. Garcia:**
**Section 3: Potential Solutions and Future Outlook**
**Host:** Dr. Sanchez, what concrete steps can the Argentine government take to address the affordability crisis beyond deregulation? Do you foresee potential collaborative solutions involving the government, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare providers?
**Dr. Sanchez:**
**Host:** Mr. Garcia, what innovative approaches or partnerships could the pharmaceutical industry explore to ensure access to essential medicines for all Argentinians while maintaining a sustainable business model?
**Mr. Garcia:**
**Host:** Thank you both for this insightful and important discussion. The accessibility of affordable medicine is a global challenge, and Argentina’s experience offers valuable lessons for other nations grappling with this complex issue. We hope this conversation has shed light on the multifaceted nature of this problem and the potential pathways towards a more equitable and sustainable healthcare system for all.
