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Américo García

Director General of Mexico and Latin America | Apotex

Apotex’s Protocols Protect Workers From COVID-19

Q: How is Apotex innovating to attend the growing prevalence of chronic diseases in Mexico?

A: At Apotex, we have a portfolio with a wide variety of products for several chronic diseases, including diabetes, arterial hypertension, cholesterol and triglycerides and metabolic syndrome. We are committed to raising patients’ quality of life by offering affordable products that meet the highest quality standards. This is precisely why we are constantly striving for innovation, not only in our product portfolio but also in our communication channels. Entering the digital world to reach more patients means providing better solutions for their health problems, as well as creating a support network that ensures proper treatment completion.

Q: What is the status for production of biosimilars in Mexico? What challenges has the company faced to introduce this division to the country?

A: Undoubtedly, biosimilars are a business opportunity and one of our major priorities. Apotex has created Apobiologix, a specific division to enhance our worldwide presence in this market. As a result, we have launched two biosimilars in Canada: Filgrastrim and Pegfilgrastim, indicated for patients with cancer receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Similarly, we are looking forward to launching important biosimilar products in Latin America.

The regulations to register and receive approval for these kinds of products need to be clearer to accelerate the pace at which biosimilars become available in Latin American markets.

Q: What areas of opportunity has Apotex identified with the centralized purchasing scheme?

A: We should not lose sight of the main goal, which is universal health coverage through lower costs for medications. However, drug prices are just a small portion of the total budget from the healthcare system. The redesign to an efficient system should cover all aspects and not just the price of medications.

We understand that the purchasing models employed by previous administrations required improvement. Yet, instead of improving the previous scheme and looking for ways to avoid corruption and increase healthcare coverage, the new administration implemented a system that has proven to be less efficient and not necessarily better for patients. There has been a focus on prices, which has left quality aside. If this continues, we could face the collapse of our healthcare system or at the very least a loss of effectiveness. The government should consider price but also quality and effectiveness according to the best possible standards.

Additionally, to reach universal healthcare coverage, the public and private sectors must work together. I do not foresee a future where the public and the private sectors are not aligned and leveraging each other’s strengths. Innovation and quality are key to the public interest. Besides providing patients with affordable treatments, collaboration would create thousands of jobs for qualified Mexicans and push the country forward in technology development to offer quality medicines in Mexico and in other developed countries.