Access to Essential Medicines in Mexico

Access to Essential Medicines in Mexico

Introduction

Whatever the reason may be, the overall inflation, corruption in the health sector, problems of the pharmaceutical companies, there are still a number of Low or Middle Income Countries or states that have failed over the years to offer easy access to the medicines for the citizens. In fact, various developing states still continue to struggle with their overall medical or pharmaceutical structure. On the other hand, some countries have finally established the base to form such a system that will promote easy access to the medicine. One of the countries that have always known to be a part of the debates regarding its medicine access policies is Mexico. This paper aims to discuss the infrastructure of medicine manufacturing and how it affects other associated aspects in the region.

Discussion

It is important to note that if the prescription medicine would just be a costly commodity, then the access to medicine would be considered as an increasing factor or function of the socio-economic level. It has been observed that the prescription medicine in Mexico can be obtained through two fundamental means. In approximately 1/3rd of the observed cases, the Government usually purchases all the prescription drugs or medicine and then these medicines or drugs are dispensed to all the eligible individuals in the country at subsidized rates and prices with the help of the social security system. However, in all the remaining scenarios, citizens are bound acquire their own prescription drugs or medicine. This is done by either paying directly or obtaining any form of the prescription medicine provided by the insurance coverage. Hence, it will be fair to day that access to the prescription medicine in Mexico is not entirely a function of the socio-economic level (Torres Vigil, 2007).

Researchers and experts from the INSP (National Public Health Institute of Mexico) have highlighted four important policy-related problems regarding the distribution or access to the medicines, which are interrelated one way or the other. These include inequitable access, harmful self-medication, irrational prescribing, and very often experienced shortage of the drug stock in the public health facilities and centers. This review concluded two priorities for the Pharmaceutical strategies and policies of Mexico. These include the insufficient access to the medicines and dealing with the irrational, unnecessary and illegal use of the medicines. These critical priorities need to be considered for the Mexico's new national pharmaceutical policy (Siemens et all, 2008). Therefore, it will be fair to say that although the standard of medicine access has improved in Mexico in some aspects. However, the lack of effective Pharmaceutical strategies and policies can be a challenge towards proving the citizens with reasonably priced medicine.

Essential Medicines Manufactured Locally and Imported

Mexico undoubtedly offers a good and huge market for the pharmaceutical products. However, the various current sanitary regulations have limited the importation of the pharmaceuticals to the local manufacturers that are now holding the sanitary license for the manufacture of such ...