The Social Security Department in putting out to tender the supply, storage, transportation and delivery of medication as needed.
Panama Government Purchase 2014-1-10-0-99-LP-123816:
"PUBLIC NOTICE ° 08-2014 FOR UNIT PRICING FOR SUPPLY, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY AS NECESSARY, OF, DRUGS, SPECIAL MEDICATIONS, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND NARCOTICS, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES AND OTHER SUPPLIES SET FORTH IN THE TENDER CONDITIONS, ITS ADDENDUMS AND ATTACHMENTS FOR HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND OTHER PLACES ESTABLISHED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT NATIONWIDE DURING THE TERM OF TWELVE (12) MONTHS MINIMUM COVERING THE EFFECTIVE AND PURSUIT FISCAL TERM AND EXTENSION OF THE TERM. "
Increased prices are predicted along with less variety in drugs and agrochemicals because of the progressive protection of patent rights.
Román Macaya, director of the National Chamber of Generic Producers (Canaproge) explained that at the end of this decade the market will feel an impact on the protection of branded drugs and agrochemicals. The changes will occur due to the agreed extension of rights in the FTA between the U.S., Central America and the Dominican Republic.
The Social Security Department in Panama is putting out to tender the supply and delivery of special medicines and other supplies to hospitals, clinics and other places to be determined.
Purpose of award:
PUBLIC NOTICE No. 01-2014 FOR UNIT PRICING FOR THE SUPPLY, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY AS REQUIRED OF MEDICINES, SPECIAL MEDICINES: CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND NARCOTICS, BIOLOGICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES AND OTHER SUPPLIES THAT ARE SET OUT IN THE TENDER CONDITIONS, ITS ADDENDA AND ATTACHMENTS FOR HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND OTHER PLACES TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY DURING THE MINIMUM TERM OF TWELVE (12) MONTHS WHICH SPANS THE FISCAL YEAR AND EXTENSION OF THE TERM.
Some forty companies submitted bids in the tender, worth $25 million, convened by the Panamanian Ministry of Public Health to provide drugs on the basic list for 2013.
The ministry has 30 days to review the proposals, so it is estimated that in about 60 days the drugs will be supplied to all health facilities.
"The order is intended to benefit the 14 health regions, Nicolás Solano Hospital in La Chorrera, the Tejeira Aquilino Hospital in Cocle, the Cecilio Castillero Hospital in Herrera, the Regional Hospital Luis "Chicho" Fabrega, in Veraguas, the Hospital Anita Moreno in Los Santos, the Joaquin Pablo Franco Sayas Hospital, in Las Tablas, the Hospital Jose Domingo de Obaldía, in Chiriqui, and in the capital city of the Children's Hospitals, Santo Tomás and San Miguel Arcángel, as well as the Cancer and Mental Health Institutes , among others", reported Laestrella.com.pa.
Registering a generic medicine takes 180 days, and the registration process for a new drug can take up to nine months.
And because of errors in the software planned to be implemented, the operation of a digital platform to perform sanitary registrations will be set back until 2014.
Panamaamerica.com reports that "The project to digitize the processes for issuing health records aims to reduce by 50% the time it takes to perform registries for the eight thousand users a year who seek medical approval for items such as cosmetics and medicines. "
The Social Security Department in Panama is putting out to tender the supply, storage, transportation and on-demand delivery of medicines for hospitals and polyclinics for a term of one year.
Public tender No. 01-2013 is for unit pricing for the supply, storage, transportation and delivery, as required, of drugs, special medicines: narcotics and controlled substances, biological and biotechnological and other materials that are set in the SO, its addendums and attachments for hospitals, clinics and other places established by the social security department at national level during a term of twelve (12) months minimum that covers the fiscal year and any extensions to the term of this public event which may be necessary in order to fulfill the obligations of the tender conditions and the best interests of the social security department, according to the provisions of the tender conditions, its addendums and attachments.
Guatemala did not participate in the final joint price negotiations and purchase of medicines at the regional level in the month of June.
Since 2008, Guatemala has not participated in any regional purchase of medicines, missing out on the opportunity to make savings by buying in bulk.
The negotiations ended in June with six pharmaceutical companies, for the purchase of 19 drugs, representing savings of $16 million for the region, "...
The Social Insurance Department has issued a tender for the supply, storage, transportation and delivery of medications to hospitals and clinics over the period of one year.
Addendum No. 3 Public Tender 01-2011–II A call for fixed unit prices on the supply, storage, transportation and delivery of drugs and special medications: including narcotics and controlled substances, biological, biotechnological and other materials (as set out in the conditions of tender, its addenda and attachments) to hospitals, clinics and other places managed by the Social Insurance Department nationwide, during the term of 12 months minimum.
Smuggling and counterfeiting of drugs like Viagra and antibiotics is growing in Panama.
Panama’s privileged geographical location brings great benefits, but also risks.
Such is the case of drug smuggling, as the country has become a transit and distribution centre for these illegal products, which are sold on the black market at prices lower than in pharmacies and other authorized outlets.
A study of the regional competition in the wholesale supply chain and retail distribution of medicines in Central America.
The study aims at analyzing competition of the drug sector in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama from a regional perspective in order to strengthen coordination among these countries in promoting and protecting competition and universal access to safe medicines.
The cheapest medicines are found in Nicaragua, while those in Guatemala are the most expensive.
The Central American Consumer Protection Council published a study on the consumer prices of a basket of 30 brand name medications and another with 30 corresponding generic medications in 284 pharmacies in Central American capitols.
According to an article published in elnuevodiario.com.ni, a basket of 30 original medications costs $53 in Nicaragua, $61 in Costa Rica, $63 in Honduras, $68 in Panama, $75 in El Salvador, and $77 in Guatemala.