The Government announced measures for the development of the health sector and companies promised investments of USD 430 million

The meeting was led by the ministers Ginés González García, Matías Kulfas and Claudio Moroni

The national government presented this Thursday a set of measures to promote the development of the health system. It was during the first meeting of the Bureau of Knowledge Economy for Health of the Economic and Social Agreement, which was carried out in the Ministry of Production, and in which representatives of sindicatos, laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

The meeting was led by the Ministers of Productive Development, Matias Kulfas; of work, Claudio Moroni; and Health, Ginés González García. There the cameras of laboratories and medical equipment announced investments for more than USD 430 million for the next two years. In addition, officials announced that through the National Producer + Health Program will be destined $ 350 million to promote research and development of institutions of the national scientific and technological system.

The objective of the meeting was that companies can incorporate research and development in each of the initiatives they undertake. “These meetings create a space in which we can resolve current problems but without losing sight of the long term and establish agreements that allow us to grow not only in a year or two, but in more,” Kulfas explained during the meeting.

Ginés González García highlighted during the meeting the importance of investments (Photo: Franco Fafasuli) 

In that line, he said that there is “Many challenges ahead” as is the case of “The cannabis industry for medicinal use”, where he explained that they are working together with the Ministry of Health and Safety on a bill “to expand this production to an industrial scale in different stages that can generate medicinal solutions, more employment and more exports.”

During the meeting, the authorities of the Argentine Chamber of Medicinal Specialties (CAEME) announced investments by $ 300 million in 2021. And they also advanced that, from the start of the Regime for the Promotion of the Knowledge Economy, the objective is to encourage greater investments in the sector in clinical research.

The Industrial Chamber of Argentine Pharmaceutical Laboratories (CILFA) announced investments from its associated national laboratories (Richmond, Bagó, among others) for $ 12,740 million for the 2021/22 biennium. Meanwhile, the authorities of CAEME -which represents the 41 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that develop and market innovative medicines in the country- highlighted that the sanction of the Knowledge Economy Law “Generates favorable conditions” to carry out clinical investigations in the country that contribute to the competitiveness of the national productive network.

The Government presented measures to promote the development of the health system (Photo: EFE) 

The Minister of Health, Ginés González García, was one of those who took the floor and said that the path started “is very important because without the capacity we have today in medical equipment that was achieved thanks to the expansion generated by the Ministry of Productive Development for the manufacture of respirators and medical equipment material, we would have a problem like other countries have ”.

For his part, Moroni assured: “This method faced by the State to decide joint actions is the appropriate methodology to be applied,” while emphasizing that “Argentina has already tried several paths and what is needed is to work together.” “A productive structure is what will solve the cyclical problems we have,” he explained.

The Producir + Salud Program consists of a series of measures agreed between the Productive Development and Health portfolios that aim at the development of the sector, such as a fiscal quota for $ 350 million for the local Promotion of biosimilars and other medicines based on local Research and Development activities, and a bill for the Promotion of Nanobiotechnology for Health that includes the creation of a Public-Private Center for maturing and scaling up under GMP standards for new developments.

In addition, as stated by the Government, the Argentine Platform for Clinical Trials will be created, a national production Plan for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (IFAS) and The national production of cannabis for medicinal use will be promoted.

The Minister of Production, Matías Kulfas, led the meeting in his ministry (@KulfasM) 

At the meeting, in addition to the ministers, were, the secretaries of Industry, Knowledge Economy and External Commercial Management, Ariel bowl; the undersecretaries of the Knowledge Economy, Mary Apolito; and Medicines, Sonia Tarragona; the Director of Information and Analysis of Sectorial Value Chains of the Ministry of Economy, Florence Kohon and the director of ANLIS, Pascual Fidelio.

For the private sector, the Association of Medical Propaganda Agents of the Argentine Republic (AAPM); the Metallurgical Workers Union (UOM); the Association of Health Workers (ATSA); the Federation of Associations of Argentine Health Workers (FATSA); the Argentine Chamber of Supplies, Implantables and Medical Equipment (CADIEM); the Argentine Chamber of Bio-inputs (CABIO); the Argentine Chamber of Clinical Research Organizations (CAOIC); the Chamber of Hospital Equipment of Argentine Manufacturing (CAEHFA); the Argentine Nanotechnology Foundation (FAN).

Representatives of the Argentine Chamber of Biotechnology also attended (CAB); Argentine Chamber of Medical Implant Manufacturers (CAFIME); the Argentine Chamber of Electromedical Equipment Producers (CAPEEM); the Chamber of Medical Diagnostic Institutions (CADIME); the Argentine Chamber of Producers of Generic and Hospital Use Medicines (CAPGEN); the Chamber of the Traumatology Industry (FALLS); and the Business Chamber of Pharmaceutical Laboratories (COOPERALA).