Efforts to make healthcare system more innovative and competitive

By Espinosa Bellido Abogados

This year Peru has formalized a new law aimed at bolstering scientific research, technological development, and innovation in the fields of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The primary goal of the law is to enhance the quality of healthcare in Peru and increase the country's competitiveness in the global economy.

The law designates several key areas as being of national interest and public necessity, which include:

-National research into pharmaceutical products, including biological products and medical devices.

-Adapting foreign technologies to suit the Peruvian context, such as mechanical ventilators, diagnostic tests, vaccines, treatments, and personal protective equipment.

-Developing prototypes, scaling technology, conducting clinical trials to validate technologies, and applying their results in medical or healthcare settings.

-Establishing vaccine manufacturing facilities, with a particular focus on COVID-19 and other technological platforms, in line with national and international standards. This involves forming strategic partnerships, agreements, or contracts with states, international organizations, companies, individuals (both domestic and foreign), and public or private entities during various phases of study, construction, technology transfer, implementation, operation, or maintenance.

Additionally, the law addresses the following important points:

-Ensuring the smooth technology transfer process with the involvement of both public and private institutions, both national and international, specialized in the manufacturing or production of biological products.

-Creating a dedicated budget program for research, innovation, and healthcare technologies within the framework of Legislative Decree 1504, which strengthens the National Institute of Health for disease prevention and control.

-Strengthening research centers in public universities, technical-productive education centers, institutes, higher technological education schools, public educational institutes, public medical institutions, and public research institutes. This will be achieved by allocating necessary budgetary resources to enhance their services, equipment, infrastructure, and by implementing mechanisms to incentivize professionals and participating companies.

-Encouraging innovation, promoting, and utilizing new medical device technologies from both national and international sources.

Furthermore, the law mandates specific actions:

-The Ministry of Health, along with its relevant bodies, will take measures to promote the use and acquisition of healthcare products and medical devices that have been validated and certified through national research, technological development, and innovation projects. The goal is to enhance the National Health System's capacity to respond effectively.

-The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the entity responsible for the National System of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Sinacti) will collaborate to ensure the law's successful implementation.

In conclusion, this law represents a significant stride in Peru's efforts to improve its healthcare system and position itself as a more innovative and competitive nation on the global stage.