The National Assembly (Parliament) of Panama approved in the third debate the draft Law 1007, which regulates medicines, highlights today a statement from the Legislature.

The approval of the reforms and the rule was given with 45 votes in favor, one abstention and none against.

According to deputies, the law updates the regulatory scope to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines.

Before the deliberations, Deputy Zulay Rodríguez questioned the Government for delaying the discussion of this law for its approval.

About the project, he said that it should include criminal sanctions for contractors in the medicine sector who intentionally delay the contracting processes to benefit.

For his part, deputy Miguel Fanovich expressed that the population expects there to be more supply and more competition in the market, that health records will be made more and that reference prices will be low so that the medicines that the State does not have are accessible.

According to the independent Edison Broce – the only abstention – the law will not reduce the prices of medicines, which is what people expect. The rule establishes that pharmaceutical establishments will be obliged to update the price of their products contained in the Basic Basket of Medicines, in the digital platform open for these items; while the Ministry of Health will be able to review and update them when necessary, they specified.

The National Medicines Observatory is also created, which will be responsible for publishing the reference prices of medicines in the national or international purchase processes.