CHILE
December 04, 2017
The Chamber of the Chilean Senate continued to debate the merits and oppositions in the regulation of bioequivalent medicines and their allowance in the marketplace. The aim is to avoid the vertical integration of pharmacies and laboratories, which would be able to dictate quasi monopolistic pricing and to provide medications which have the same therapeutic results, but with a more accessible pricing to the public.
The bill modification was approved by vote in the senate and allows for the registration of drugs in Chile, which are not currently accessible and are also deemed necessary for the people. This bioequivalence will also extend to those who are in charge of prescribing medication, who until now, have been obliged to prescribe a specific brand of a drug. The new allowance, as voted in the senate will allow for the proposition of any brand of equivalent drug by a doctor, which will have the same therapeutic effect.