From January to November 2017, countries in the region imported $264 million worth of pharmaceutical products from Mexico, and 50% was acquired by companies in Panama.
Figures from the information system "Trade between Central America and Mexico", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData : [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Products, services, and medical, pharmaceutical and hospital technology equipment will be exhibited from October 19th to 20th at the Atlapa Convention Center.
The EXPO MEDICA PANAMÁ 2017 event will bring together companies from the pharmaceutical, medical, health and sports industries.
Participating companies will explore business opportunities and showcase beauty, sports, and gym products, among other things.
A bill put forward by the Varela administration proposes a new mechanism to expedite the purchase of medicines, surgical medical supplies and sanitary technology.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
The Cabinet Council approved at its weekly meeting a bill that creates the "General Directorate for the supply of medicines, surgical medical supplies, sanitary technology and other products for human health", which seeks to expedite purchases and decrease "shortages" in the public sector hospital units in the country.
The Comptroller General of Panama has endorsed several contracts worth more than $20 million for the purchase of medicines for chronic diseases for Social Security Fund patients.
From a statement issued by the Comptroller General of Panama:
The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic has endorsed 134 files for more than 20 million balboas for the purchase of medicines that are needed by Social Security Fund (CSS) patients with chronic diseases.
Due to the fact that no offers were received for 61 drug lines in the $240 million tender held on July 10, a new contest is being prepared for the coming weeks.
Medications for which no proposals were received include several commonly used drugs such as acyclovir, benzocaine, sugar-free expectorants, chloramphenicol, dapsone, and some types of anti-inflammatories, among others.
In Panama, 54 pharmaceutical companies took part in the tender to supply 427 items in the basic medicine package for a period of 3 years.
From a statement issued by the Social Security Department:
With the participation of 54 pharmaceutical companies, the Social Security Fund (CSS) held this Monday, July 10, a public act for the single price tender 01-2017 for the fixing of unit prices for the supply, storage, transport and delivery of essential drugs, narcotics and controlled substances.
The Social Security Department in Panama is putting out to tender the supply of biological and biotechnology medicines for a period of 12 months.
Panama Government Purchase 2017-1-10-0-99-LP-256310:
"Fixed unit price, for the supply, storage, transport and delivery, according to need, of biological and biotechnology medicines set forth in the tender documents, their addenda and annexes for hospitals, polyclinics and other places established by the Social Insurance Fund nation wide during a term of at least twelve (12) months covering the exercise of the fiscal term and extensions of the term."
The Social Security Fund in Panama is putting out to tender the supply, storage and delivery of medicines as needed at the national level, for a period of at least twelve months.
Panama Government Purchase 2017-1-10-0-08-LP-252737:
"Requirements are for the provision of 85 national lines of special drugs, controlled substances and narcotics (high sanitary risk) at the national level, for a minimum of 12 months, which covers the exercise of fiscal validity and extensions of the term.
In Panama, pharmaceutical companies claim that the demand for a new requirement to participate in the tender could be used to exclude certain suppliers from the process.
In thetenderfor the purchase of various drugs for $241 million, the National Department of Pharmacy and Drugs (DNFD) at the Ministry of Health (Minsa) included a new requirement to participate in the process. Suppliers must submit a certificate of interchangeability for each product they wish to offer.
In the first two of the three tenders planned for the coming months, the Guatemalan Social Security Institute will buy 129 types of drugs.
The Guatemalan Social Security Institute has announced that tenders will be conducted in coordination with the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which will have an operating cost of 3.5%.
The Ministry of Health plans to convene, in 2017, an international public tender for the storage and distribution of medicines.
The decision was made because the Health Ministry does not have the storage capacity in its central warehouse, and as this is an activity that requires technology to store some medicines that require special handling, according to the deputy minister of Health, Sandra Pinel.
The Social Security Department in Panama is again putting out to tender comprehensive hemodialysis services for a period of 60 months.
Panama Government Purchase 2016-1-10-0-99-LV-234 792:
"The contractor will provide for the existing Hemodialysis Units and up to five future units, the raw materials necessary for their proper functioning, and management of the facilities in a timely and proper manner.They must comply with the legal and technical requirements for their use and marketing required in the country.
46% of the funds to be spent in 2017 will go towards purchasing cancer drugs, vaccines, antiretrovirals and antihypertensives.
In the purchase of vaccines alone, almost $17 million has been earmarked for the acquisition of 2.3 million doses against various diseases.
The budget of $207 million for procurement of drugs in 2017 was approved by the board of the Costa Rican Social Security Department (CCSS), and recorded an increase of $4 million compared to 2016.
In the 2017 budget approved for the Costa Rican Social Security Department an additional $270 million has been allocated for drugs, and $95 million for infrastructure.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Social Security Department (CCSS):
The Board of Directors of the Costa Rican Social Security Department (CCSS) approved on Thursday, the institution's budget for 2017 in the amount of ¢3.4 billion
In order to replenish stocks of medicines the Social Security Department will be able to sign contracts directly for amounts up to $500,000.
With the backing of President the Social Security Department (CSS by its initials in Spanish) plans to start signing contracts directly in the next 30 days, after presenting a proposal to the Board of the institution next Tuesday.