Mexico Steps Up Ban On Sub-Standard Foreign Drugs

With an expected influx of medicines into Mexico via the North American Free Trade Agreement, both orthodox and natural and homeopathic remedies, Mexico is stiffening its existing drug controls dating back to late November 1993. The Ministry of Health has initiated a permanent drive to seize all medicines in pharmacies, natural health and homeopathic stores where these do not have official registration for their commercialization.

Carlos Soto Castaneda, director of the Ministry's Vigilance and Sanitary Control Division, has authorized special agents not only to seize all medicines that do not comply with existing dispositions for their sale, but also to seek out those medicines from the USA and other foreign sources that do not comply with Mexican standards of quality.

The goal of the increased supervision of medicines is to further improve the existing situation in the medical field. Constant supervision is proposed on a national scale to avoid the sale of medicines which fail to guarantee their therapeutic value, or where they are not in accordance with the New Public Health Law.