Through a ministerial resolution, a total of 31 generic drugs to combat more common diseases must be sold in a mandatory manner throughout the country. It is estimated that 18,000 pharmacies and pharmacies will sell these medications. In addition, they will be available in pharmacy services in the private sector.
Amitriptyline, Amoxicillin, Azithromycin, Clonazepam, Glibenclamide, Ranitidine, Enalapril, Ibuprofen, Ithatamol, Omeprazole, among others, are some of the medications that will be sold to the public in tablets, syrup or inhaler.
The medicines that will be sold are to fight diseases such as diabetes, mental health problems, hypertension, respiratory diseases, infections, among others.
The sale of these medicines will have a period of three months of indicative control, if the companies do not comply, monetary and non-monetary sanctions will be applied. The infractions and sanctions will be published in the regulation of the Emergency Decree No. 007-2019.
The measure is taken in compliance with the Emergency Decree announced on October 30, 2019, by the President of the Republic, Martin Vizcarra Cornejo, so that all pharmaceutical establishments (public and private), have a sufficient amount of medicines for sale to the public.
‘Medicines must remain available or show their sale in pharmacies, pharmacies, and private sector pharmacy services,’ says the ministerial resolution. In addition, it emphasizes that the population will be able to access sanitary priority drug treatments.
Control and surveillance
The Directorates of Integrated Health Networks (Diris), the Regional Health Directorates (Diresas), the National Pharmaceutical Products Authority and Medical Devices and Health Products (ANM), will be the institutions that will be in charge of health surveillance and control of compliance with said measure.
What characterizes generic medicines is that they do not have a trademark, that is, they are of International Common Denomination (INN), and that they are included in the National Single Petition for Essential Medicines (UNEP).