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As Mexico grapples with an aging population and a growing rate of chronic diseases, the country is also stepping up its efforts to spread access to innovative treatments, restructuring its public policy to position the healthcare sector as a primary engine for national economic development. Under the framework of Plan México, the federal government is aligning industrial policy with clinical delivery. Authorities are targeting US$3 billion in clinical research investment by 2030, an accelerated 30-45 day authorization pathway, and 12,750 new primary care clinics across 24 states. That push follows a reform to the General Health Law, which made digital health records and interoperability mandatory nationwide. Mexico’s chronic disease burden continues to grow, with overweight and obesity affecting over 70% of the country’s population and type 2 diabetes affecting 17% of adults. That clinical burden collides with a financing gap: private insurance covers roughly 10% of the population and out-of-pocket health spending remains more than double the OECD average, pushing insurers and providers toward alliances and AI-enabled risk management to widen coverage. Supply chain resilience and cross-sector collaboration will be key to increasing access to healthcare services. Mexico’s dependence on Chinesesourced active ingredients points to predictable multi-year procurement and expanded cold-chain logistics as middle-term fixes. Mexico, as the world’s fifth-largest medical device exporter, would also benefit from moving from assembly toward technology development. Amid these challenges, industry leaders met at Mexico Health Summit 2026 to discuss strategies to navigate this complex environment. The event brought together key players from pharmaceutical, medical device, insurance, and hospital groups to analyze strategies for chronic disease management, medical device access, digital health policy, and supply chain sovereignty, among other topics. By aligning technical investments with tangible business results, the summit positioned itself as the indispensable strategic platform for ensuring Mexico’s competitiveness.
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C o n fe r e n ce I mpact
5
168
41
271
15th
companies
conference participants
sponsors
speakers
9,878 visits to the conference website
Edition
Breakdown by job title LinkedIn pre-event CTR: 473%
29.3% CEO / VP / President / Founder
LinkedIn during the event CTR: 11,1%
Impressions: 130,624
Impressions: 9,257
Engagement rate: 7.1%
Engagement rate: 12,06%
20.9% Director / Partner 29.8% Associate / Executive
/ Coordinator
18.4% Head / Manager / Lead 1.6%
Chemist / Doctor
Twitter pre-event CTR: 0.8% Impressions: 1,149 Engagement rate: 0.7 %
Twitter during the event CTR: 0.2%
Impressions: 446
Engagement rate: 1.3%
Matchmaking Mexico’s leading B2B conference organizer uses a customized app to deliver an unparalleled experience The MBE App delivered AI-powered intent-based matchmaking to Mexico Event/Summit/Forum 2024 attendees
MBE App Impact
Matchmaking intentions
177
participants
577
matchmaking communications
225
1:1 meetings conducted
Total
1,352
714 Trading 638 Networking
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C ompa n y A tte n da n ce •
A.I. VALI Inc.
•
Eli Lilly
•
AbbVie
•
EMBALL ISO
•
Aceites Especiales
•
Embassy of Canada
•
ACOLSA
•
Embassy of the Netherlands
•
ADHealthComm
•
Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited
•
AIDICARE
•
Endress+Hauser México
•
AMID
•
Extendeal
•
ANAFARMEX
•
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
•
ANUBIS BARCELONA
•
Foqus Technologies Inc.
•
Aranexx Inc.
•
FUNSALUD
•
ARCERA LIFE SCIENCES
•
FYELABS
•
Art Tecnica
•
GE healthcare
•
ASOCIACION HEALTHTECH MX
•
Gelita
•
Astellas Farma Mexico
•
Global Health Intelligence
•
Avantpage Life Sciences
•
GLS Advisory
•
Avanzia Pharma
•
Government of Ontario
•
AXO Capital
•
GRUPO CT SCANNER
•
Baker McKenzie
•
Grupo Financiero Banorte
•
Base Labs
•
Grupo ICB
•
BAXTER HEALTHCARE
•
Grupo San Angel Inn
•
Bayer Pharmaceutical
•
Grupo SOHIN
•
BBVA
•
Healex
•
Becerril, Coca & Becerril
•
Healthtech Mexico
•
Biocodex
•
HHM
•
BIOMIQ
•
Hospital ABC
•
BookJane Inc.
•
Hospital Ángeles
•
Boston Scientific
•
Hospital San Angel Inn
•
BuscaMed
•
Hospitales MAC
•
Business France Mexico
•
Hospitales Puerta de Hierro
•
Canada Masq
•
Houston Methodist Global Health Care Service
•
CANIFARMA
•
HUMAN STAFF
•
CAS
•
ICAN LatAm / BOTICAN
•
CCE
•
IMSS Bienestar
•
Centinel BioGen
•
Insumos para la salud
•
Central Media
•
Integral B
•
ClarkeModet
•
Intellijoint Surgical
•
Clinic Bioengineering Solutions
•
International SOS
•
Clínica Enlace
•
IntraMed
•
Clínicas del Azúcar
•
ISISPHARMA MEXICO
•
Clínicas del Hombre
•
Juama
•
Consejo de Salubridad General
•
Kabla Diagnostics
•
Consorcio Mexicano de Hospitales
•
Kerme
•
COPARMEX
•
KRYOTEC
•
Costamed Hyperbaric
•
LABORATORIO FARMACEUTICO LFB
•
COZUMEL INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL
•
Laboratorios Grin
•
CROMODATA
•
Linet
•
DHL Global Forwarding
•
Living Healthy & Active LLC
•
Direct Relief
•
MAG Medical Group
•
doc24
•
mamotest
•
DTX
•
Marcela Sabaini
•
DVL Film House
•
MARZAM
•
Edelman
•
McCann Health Sistemas Integrales
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C ompa n y A tte n da n ce •
MEDICAL CORPORATION GROUP SA DE CV
•
Secretaría de Saud
•
Medikit
•
Seguros Banorte
•
Mediproses
•
Siemens Healthineers
•
Medirex Systems Inc.
•
Sociedad Mexicana de Salud Pública
•
medisi america
•
Sofía Business
•
Medistik by TRAXION
•
Starlight Medical Care
•
Medtronic
•
Takeda
•
MeetingDoctors
•
TecSalud
•
Mesh Scheduling Inc. (Mesh AI)
•
Teico & Inpulse
•
Micro Pharmaceuticals México
•
Telepatía
•
MicroPort
•
TerumoBCT
•
Milenium Group
•
TEVA
•
Ministry of Health
•
Tive
•
MiRoncol Diagnostics Inc.
•
TramIA
•
Morillas
•
TuDOC
•
MOTION CORP
•
UCB
•
Mutuus
•
UCIN MEDICA
•
Neolpharma
•
UDEM Health
•
Neuraxpharm
•
UPS
•
Neuroptek
•
Viatris Healthcare
•
Novartis
•
Weser Pharma
•
ONDINE
•
Wiener Lab.
•
Ontario Companies
•
WISSNER-BOSSERHOFF MEXICO
•
Page Executive
•
Worldwide Clinical Trials
•
Pascual Asesoría en famracia
•
•
Pasteur Soft
•
PHARMADVICE
•
Philips
•
Pinya Campoy
•
Pluxee
•
Polar Salud
•
Pragmatec
•
PRODUCTOS FARMACEUTICOS SA DE CV
•
ProMujer by Avanza
•
PROSPERiA
•
Randstad
•
Recordati Rare Diseases
•
Roche
•
Safe Credit
•
Scan Vital
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PROGRAM
W E D N E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 9 09:00
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POLICY IN MEXICO
Speaker: Patricia Clark Peralta, Minister of Health Secretary of the General Health Council 09:30
POLICY VS. PRACTICE: DIGITIZING MEXICO’S HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM
Moderator: Patrick Devlyn, President of the Health Comission at CCE Speaker: José Pérez, Director General, Health Sector Modernization – Ministry of Health Carina Reverter, CEO of Mexico & LATAM at Meeting Doctors Jesús Hernández, President of Mexican HealthTech Association Adrián Chávez, Regulatory Affairs and Innovation Manager of CANIFARMA Guillermo Murra, Country Manager of GE HealthCare Latin America 10:15
RESHAPING CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT: FROM PIPELINE TO PREVENTION
Moderator: Karen Flores, Director General of CAMIMEX Panelists: Rafael Suárez, VP LATAM & General manager of TEVA Mexico Mónica Palomanes, General Manager of Roche Pharma México Diego Ocampo, Technology VP of Neolpharma Guy Jean Savoir, President of National Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry Carlos Kane, Senior Director Access & Corporate Affairs of Eli Lilly Sergio Vargas, General Manager of AbbVie Mexicos 11:15
ACCELERATING CANADA-MEXICO LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION
Panelists: José Abad-Puelles, Commercial Counsellor. Head of the Ontario Trade and Investment office of Alberta, Canada Dan-Tam Nguyen Trade Commissioner of Alberta, Canada 11:30
NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK & AI-BASED MATCHMAKING
12:00
MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE NETWORKS TO REDUCE MEXICO’S HEALTH BURDENA
Moderator: Bruno Valera, CEO of Medikit Panelists: Sandro Scomparim, CEO of Linet Marcelo Cruz, Co-CEO of Clínicas del Hombre Federico Lozano, CEO of Kabla Diagnósticos Pablo Ricalde, General Director of Consorcio Mexicano de Hospitales Alvaro Cepeda, CEO of Polar Salud Javier Lozano, CEO of Clinicas del Azúcar 12:45
UNLOCKING LATAM REAL WORLD DATA: FROM INVISIBLE TO OPPORTUNITY
Panelists: Keila Barral, CEO of Cromodata 13:00
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POLICY IN MEXICO
Moderator: Ana Riquelme, Executive Director of AMID Speaker: Héctor Orellana, VP Latam North of Medtronic Agustín Zabulanes, General Director of Boston Scientific Alejandro Paolini, CEO of Siemens Healthineers Negal Ciliberto, Country Manager of Philips Healthcare 13:45
PHARMA FUTURE THROUGH DIGITAL INNOVATION
Panelists: Victor Villalba, Site Lead Takeda Innovation Center Check the panel/presentation’s highlights on mexicobusiness.mx clicking on the icon
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PROGRAM
14:00
NETWORKING LUNCH & AI-BASED MATCHMAKING
15:00
REBUILDING MEXICO’S PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN
Moderator: Marcos Pascual, Commercial Director of National Association of Pharmacies of Mexico Panelists: Alberto Miranda, General Director of MARZAM Carlos Oconitrillo, Supply Chain Management Head Bayer Pharmaceutical Division Gabriel Obregon, Vice President of Operations, Latin America of UPS Gabriel Morales, General Director of Weser Pharma 15:45
THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS: RESHAPING PRIVATE INSURANCE, ALLIANCES
Moderator: Carla Calderón, Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences of Baker McKenzie Mexico Panelists: Jean-Louis Brunet Torres, Founder & CEO of Mutuus Salvador Alonso y Caloca, General Director of Seguros Banorte Diego Diaz , General Director of Hospital San Angel Inn Carlos Arellano, General Director of TecSalud Enrique Enriquez, VP of Data & AI of Sofia 16:30
THE FUTURE STARTS NOW: WHAT HEALTHCARE LEADERS MUST DO NEXT
Panelists: Héctor Valle, President of FunSalud 17:00
NETWORKING COCKTAIL & AI-BASED MATCHMAKING
19:00
END OF MEXICO HEALTH SUMMIT 2026
Check the panel/presentation’s highlights on mexicobusiness.mx clicking on the icon
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SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POLICY IN MEXICO Mexico’s Ministry of Health has launched a
A core component of the strategy involves
major restructuring of the national healthcare
reforming COFEPRIS to reduce bureaucratic
framework under Plan México, projecting
friction for health sciences companies.
US$12 billion in pharmaceutical and medical
The regulatory agency is implementing an
device investments alongside US$3 billion
abbreviated reliance pathway to expedite
in clinical research by 2030. The roadmap
clinical trial protocols once approved by
establishes a Universal Health Service built
national bioethics committees.
by dissolving institutional barriers between public health entities.
“After approval by our national bioethics committees, protocols will require at most 30–45 days for full operational authorization,” says Clark. This abbreviated timeline applies to both public health institutions and private clinical research centers.
“After approval by our national bioethics committees, protocols will require at most 30–45 days for full
The federal government aims to reduce
operational authorization”
national reliance on imported pharmaceuticals
Patricia Clark Peralta
by expanding domestic production capacity.
Minister of Health | Secretary of the General Health Council
Standardized procurement schedules will align directly with national health priorities to guarantee timely access to critical medicines.
Mexico is restructuring its public health policy
Dissolving Institutional Silos for Universal Health
to position the healthcare sector as a primary engine for national economic development
Mex i co i s a d d re ss i n g i ts h i storic a lly
a n d u n i ve r s a l c ove ra g e . U n d e r t h e
fragmented healthcare system, which curently
framework of Plan México, designed by the
splits care across public institutions such as
current administration of President Claudia
IMSS, ISSSTE, and IMSS-Bienestar. The new
Sheinbaum and Minister of Health David
Universal Health Service framework seeks to
Kershenobich, the federal government is
blur institutional boundaries at primary care
aligning industrial policy with clinical delivery.
and third-level emergency care units.
“Health is a fundamental right, and this is our priority,” says Patricia Clark, Secretary, General Health Council. “Through Plan México, we are establishing policies to promote investment in pharmaceuticals and medical devices while facilitating high-quality clinical research.” The initiative sets ambitious financial milestones through 2030, aiming to attract US$3 billion in clinical trial investments. Government leaders expect these inflows to strengthen domestic biotechnology ecosystems and secure regional supply chains for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients across the Americas.
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Citizens will receive medical attention at
The first six PRONAMs published in April
the nearest primary care facility regardless
2025 address conditions representing
of formal employment or social security
80% of Mexico’s disease burden, including
affiliation. “We are eliminating institutional
hypertension, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney
barriers so that a worker affiliated with ISSSTE
disease, and obesity, says Clark. They also
can utilize resources at an IMSS-Bienestar
encompass life-course immunization and
facility if it is closer to home,” Clark says.
healthcare during the first 1,000 days of life for children aged 0–2 years.
To support this expansion, the Ministry of Health is deploying 12,750 new primary
The portfolio now includes 12 published
care clinics across 24 states. Infrastructure
protocols targeting prevalent oncological
construction is set to begin generating
conditions such as breast, cervical, and
operational capacity by 2027, focusing on
pediatric cancers. A dedicated pediatric
resolving patient needs at the community
protocol utilizes visual indicators to assist
level before health issues escalate to tertiary
primary care workers and family members in
hospitals.
detecting early symptoms like retinoblastoma.
Mandatory PRONAMs and the Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Strategy
To address cardiovascular disease, which accounts for 37% of national mortality, the health council introduced the Cardio-
Central to the healthcare transformation is
Renal-Metabolic route. This strategy merges
the rollout of National Medical Care Protocols,
management of hypertension, diabetes,
known as PRONAMs. Developed by the
obesity, and kidney disease to treat shared
General Health Council, these mandatory
pathophysiological mechanisms and protect
15–20 page documents replace non-binding
target organs.
clinical guidelines with standardized diagnostic and therapeutic mandates.
All public health institutions must present institutional implementation plans for
Unlike conventional guidelines that offer
the Cardio-Renal-Metabolic route by
multiple treatment pathways, PRONAMs
November 2026. The Ministry of Health
establish single evidence-based protocols
has also expanded asynchronous online
that dictate federal medicine purchasing and
training, registering over 81,000 healthcare
distribution. Each protocol includes a one-
professionals in its diabetes course since
page visual infographic and QR codes linking
March 2026 and 2,200 in its early-childhood
clinicians to decision-making tools.
program since August 2026.
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Additionally, the council is collaborating with
empower patients to understand standard
patient advocacy groups to publish simplified
care expectations when visiting primary
citizen protocols. These resources aim to
healthcare facilities nationwide.
POLICY VS. PRACTICE: DIGITIZING MEXICO’S HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM Mexico’s January 2026 reform to the General Health Law made digital health, electronic health records, and interoperability mandatory nationwide. However, experts warn that the law’s success depends on regulatory flexibility, unified technical standards, and mandatory adoption rather than voluntary compliance. Persistent gaps in NOM-024 compliance, low public health spending, and uneven internet connectivity remain the main barriers between the legal mandate and realworld patient outcomes. Mexico’s healthcare system crossed a legal threshold in January 2026, when a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) reformed the General
fail to comply with NOM-024-SSA3-2012,
Health Law to make digital health a matter
the technical standard governing clinical
of general public health, not an optional
information systems, undermining both data
upgrade. The reform formally defines
security and cross-provider interoperability,
telehealth, telemedicine, mobile health,
reports MBN.
and electronic health records, and requires healthcare providers, public and private
Mexico’s digital health market was valued
alike, to digitize clinical information, ensure
at approximately US$2.86 billion in 2024,
interoperability between systems, and follow
the second-largest in Latin America, with
cybersecurity and data protection protocols.
telemedicine adoption up 150% since 2020,
Paper-only clinical records are no longer valid
even as public health spending remains
under the new framework.
structurally low, at an estimated 2.7% of GDP compared with an OECD average of 7.6%.
“Interoperability and regulatory certainty are
Roughly 83% of Mexican health startups were
key to technologically unifying the public
still in early stages as of 2023, reflecting a
and private healthcare sectors,” says Efraín
young, fragmented market that regulators are
Cornejo, Director of Digital Health, Ministry of
now asking to scale nationally under a single
Health. Cornejo says the government is not
legal standard.
building a single national database but rather regulating an ecosystem so that public and
Jesús Hernández, President, Mexican
private systems can communicate through
HealthTech Association, says Mexico needs
shared standards, adding that regulation
both public investment and clear regulation to
“does not need to be very rigorous; on the
grow its health tech sector and attract foreign
contrary, it has to be flexible” to keep pace
direct investment. Hernández draws a direct
with fast-moving technology.
parallel with Mexico’s electronic invoicing mandate: “What really drove it was making it
The gap between mandate and execution is
mandatory. Once electronic invoicing became
where the risk concentrates. A large share
obligatory in 2014, e-commerce exploded in
of Mexico’s electronic health records still
our country. If we want that same boom in
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health, we need something similar with the
Connectivity remains the reform’s most
clinical record.”
significant constraint. An estimated 73.6% of Mexican households, or 28.8 million, had
Early infrastructure for that standard
internet access in 2024, according to the
is emerging. In October 2025, Mexico’s
National Institute of Statistics and Geography
Ministry of Public Education launched the
(INEGI), meaning more than a quarter of the
Professional Status Constancy platform to
country still lacks the basic connectivity a
verify healthcare professionals’ credentials
unified electronic clinical record and universal
against a database of more than 15 million
e-prescribing system would require, a divide
professional licenses accumulated over 80
that is sharper in rural areas.
years, registering 800,000 downloads and 2 million queries in its first month. Under
The sector ’s more immediate problem
the January 2026 reform, every electronic
predates digitization itself, explains Adrián
prescription must now be validated against
Chávez, Regulatory Affairs and Innovation
that credential system. The Ministry of
Manager, CANIFARMA. “Before digitizing,
Health and the Mexican Social Security
we need to simplify. We found that the same
Institute (IMSS) have since moved to build
information we already had digitally kept
on that foundation, signing a pact in August
being requested from us again in physical
2026 to advance electronic clinical record
form,” Chávez says, calling for structured
interoperability, starting implementation
training programs across the sector before
at the Hospital of the Woman ahead of a
scaling any system nationally.
broader interinstitutional data exchange target set for January 2027.
Moreover, fragmented, overly complex applications have repeatedly failed to gain
With many entities operating across the
traction with patients, says Carina Reverter,
healthcare sector, the key is establishing
CEO Mexico and Latin America, Meeting
unified standards and neutrality regarding
Doctors. “It does not work to have six
technology, says Salvador Ledón, Director
different applications, one for vital signs,
for Government Affairs and Policy, GE
another for lab results, another for a digital
HealthCare Latin America. “If we look at
doctor. It all has to be in the same place,”
the percentage of data actually used in
Reverter says.
hospitals worldwide, it is minimal. Over 90% of the data that comes out of every hospital
For the sector, the challenge is no longer
goes to waste,” Ledón says, calling that gap
whether Mexico should digitize its healthcare
an enormous opportunity to cut costs and
ecosystem, but how quickly infrastructure,
expand access.
training, and regulatory clarity can catch up with a law that is already in force.
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RESHAPING CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT: FROM PIPELINE TO PREVENTION Mexico’s healthcare system faces a growing problem in the shape of chronic diseases, which represent the country’s main morbidity and mortality causes. This issue keeps driving multiple stakeholders from the public and private sectors to search for ways to increase access to healthcare services, while managing the growing costs of such services. Chronic diseases are driving a growing share of Mexico’s health spending, with diabetes and hypertension control rates still falling short. As pharmaceutical, insurance, and technology leaders convene to discuss the shift from treatment to prevention, the central question is not whether Mexico’s chronic disease model needs to change, but
“In Mexico, 21 million people have high blood
how fast the country can move from a system
pressure, 14 million have diabetes, and 9
built around the pipeline to one built around
million have chronic kidney disease. We must
the patient.
thus offer integrated metabolic treatment,” says Rafael Suárez, Vice President Latin
Chronic diseases have become a persistent
America and General Manager Mexico, TEVA
strain on Mexico’s healthcare system. Type 2
Pharmaceuticals. Suárez points out that
diabetes, for example, affects 17% of Mexican
patients rarely deal with a single condition
adults, with 11.6% already diagnosed and 5.4%
in isolation, creating a complex burden for
still undiagnosed, while hypertension reaches
a public system struggling to raise national
29.1% of the adult population. Among those
life expectancy past 75 years. “Once we
already diagnosed with diabetes, only 33%
understand the dimension, we have to look
achieve glycemic control, and just 60.1% of
at how the government can address it, state
treated hypertension patients keep their
resources alone will not be enough,” he adds.
blood pressure under control, exposing wide gaps between diagnosis and effective
Type 2 diabetes caused 3.1 million healthy
management.
years of life lost in Mexico in 2021, equivalent to 6.6% of the country’s total disease burden, with 66.3% of that burden attributed to
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to learn how to reduce their progression and limit complications,” says Sergio Vargas, General Manager, AbbVie Mexico. Vargas emphasizes that therapeutic solutions must be paired with comprehensive models across the patient journey, taking into account quality of life, economic productivity, and healthcare resources. “As an industry, we must move beyond exclusively focusing on selling treatments and think about what types of products would be required for holistic prevention,” says Guy Jean Savoir, President, CANIFARMA. Savoir emphasizes the need to evaluate obesity. Obesity prevalence among Mexican
early diagnosis, nutrition, and environmental
adults rose 42.2% between 2000 and 2018,
factors alongside standard care, noting that
with morbid obesity climbing even faster, at
current global health systems assess the cost
96.5% over the same period. Metabolic and
per dose rather than establishing transparent
cardiometabolic disease has consequently
mechanisms to fund preventive interventions.
become less a matter of individual treatment and more a systemic cost driver, one that
Meanwhile, digital tools are emerging as
patent and generic drug access alone
the connective layer between innovative
cannot resolve without earlier detection and
therapies and daily patient behavior.
sustained adherence.
Wearable devices, IoT-enabled monitoring, and AI-supported adherence platforms are
“We invest heavily in reactive care rather
increasingly positioned to flag complications
than asking ourselves how to anticipate
before they become acute, particularly
and control a health condition beforehand.
for cardiometabolic patients who require
Moving to a preventive state is not a unilateral
continuous, rather than periodic, oversight.
effort; it requires an entire ecosystem to
“Digital tools must be integrated into
help drive this mindset shift. In healthcare,
care mechanisms, and their effectiveness
budgets are never enough, and working
measured with clear evidence. Technology is
together as a whole will be critical,” says
a mechanism, not the objective; the objective
Esmeralda Rodríguez, Head of Mexico, Viatris.
is to improve the patient’s quality of life in an ecosystem that allows for personalized care
Noncommunicable diseases cause 75% of
aligned with their needs,” says Vargas.
deaths worldwide. Directing an additional 1% of GDP toward public health spending,
Carlos Kane, Senior Director of Access
with at least 40% aimed at prevention and
and Corporate Affairs, Eli Lilly, echoes the
treatment, could save close to 5 million lives
importance of cross-sector integration:
a year in low- and middle-income countries,
“Innovation in medicine must continue and
reports Airfinity. The Airfinity report argues
gain strength, but on tech solutions that
that over 1,400 medicines for chronic and
support patients in other areas, generating
noncommunicable diseases have been
alliances is crucial.” He points to collaborative
approved over the past decade, with another
platforms like Lilly’s initiative with Endeavor
9,600 currently in development, a pipeline
to foster local health technology innovation as
that is rapidly outpacing the health systems
key drivers for scaling patient-centered tools.
built to deliver it. Mexico already has a domestic program that “For chronic illnesses, the objective should
targets community-based chronic disease
not only be to attend to the symptoms, but
screening: PREVENIMSS, IMSS’s two-decade-
15
old preventive care program. However,
supported by AI could offer a route to earlier
researchers say the program still needs
detection in underserved regions.
to adopt stronger secondary prevention measures and new digital resources to
Palomanes says, using the example of Roche’s
meet the country’s chronic disease profile.
collaboration with the Mexican Federation
Scaling a similar model with AI-supported
of Hemophilia, that decentralized specialty
detection into resource-limited areas, rather
care offers a practical blueprint for chronic
than building an entirely new infrastructure,
conditions. “Our health system is often
could enable the expansion of early diagnosis
focused on treating acute episodes rather
across the country.
than long-term management,” she says. “In conditions like hemophilia, what impacts a
“We have to strengthen the country’s
patient’s life most is precisely what remains
primary care system, which means dignifying,
unseen, yet care has historically concentrated
professionalizing, and equipping first-contact
in major urban centers,” adds Palomares,
physicians with better tools. We currently
noting that through this joint initiative, 13
operate with a fragmented primary care
specialized clinics were established across
network, which prevents healthcare workers
Mexico to deliver local, multidisciplinary
from properly catching the signals before a
support for patients living far from primary
patient’s condition escalates,” Savoir says.
hospital hubs. This model brings continuous care directly to where patients live and
Mónica Palomanes, General Manager,
work, providing a clear framework for how
Roche Pharma México, highlights how AI
metabolic and cardiometabolic therapies can
can streamline this frontline screening
reach underserved communities before acute
without overburdening existing staff. “In
complications escalate.
breast cancer screening, for example, there is a shortage of radiologists worldwide. AI
Supplying these decentralized networks
solutions have allowed us to triage high-risk
also requires stronger local supply chains
patients and reduce diagnostic times down
and treatments designed for long-term
to two days, a huge shift for patients living far
compliance. “If we can bring manufacturing
from specialized centers. AI does not replace
closer to the country, it helps secure supply.
the specialist; it empowers primary care to
When thinking about long-term adherence,
catch suspicious cases early, when treatment
innovative combination therapies, combining
is still effective,” she says.
multiple molecules into a single treatment, make it significantly easier for patients
To bring these solutions closer to the patient,
to stick to their regimens and streamline
the regulatory and commercial pieces still
distribution,” Suárez says.
need to align. Bringing both patented and generic medicines to a broader share of
For the pharmaceutical, insurance, and
Mexico’s public and private sectors would
technology industries, the test is whether
depend on distribution models that can
chronic disease management can evolve
reach metabolic and cardiometabolic
beyond treating the condition itself
patients outside major urban hospitals, while
to addressing its long-term impact on
decentralized, community-level partnerships
patients’ lives.
ACCELERATING CANADA-MEXICO LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION. Canada and Mexico are accelerating cross-
the Ontario Government, and Pragmatec
border life sciences trade and technological
outlined expanding bilateral initiatives
innovation as diplomatic and commercial
spanning digital health, biomanufacturing,
leaders seek to build resilient regional supply
AI, and pharmaceutical infrastructure.
chains. During a trade mission in Mexico City, representatives from the Embassy of Canada,
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Amid shifting geopolitical dynamics across
“We are seeing a level of collaboration that
North America, Canada and Mexico are
was difficult to imagine a few years ago,”
expanding commercial partnerships in the life
Nguyen says.
sciences and healthcare sectors. During the Mexico Health Summit 2026, trade officials and industry leaders outlined plans to
Sectoral Diversification and Commercial Scale
deepen bilateral integration in digital health, medical technology, and pharmaceutical
While trade between the two nations has
supply chains.
historically centered on the automotive sector, officials are actively pursuing sectoral
“In North America, we are navigating a
diversification. The current trade delegation
period of change and uncertainty in trade
marks the first time Ontario has sent a
matters, which makes reliable alliances more
dedicated life sciences mission to Mexico.
important than ever,” says Dan-Tam Nguyen, Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of
Mexico represents Latin America’s second-
Canada in Mexico. “For Canada, Mexico is a
largest healthcare market, with the sector
key partner.”
accounting for 12% of national gross domestic product. This scale presents significant
Bilateral momentum has accelerated through
co m m e rc i a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s a l o n g s i d e
a series of commercial trade missions.
infrastructure challenges that digital health
In March, a delegation of 150 companies
solutions can help address.
visited Mexico, followed by a Mexican trade mission to Quebec and Toronto in May. The
“ Wh e n we ta l k a b o u t d i ve r s i fi c at ion
latest initiative brought 12 digital health and
processes, it refers not only to new
medical technology companies from Ontario
destinations but also to new sectors,” says
and other Canadian provinces to Mexico City.
José Abad-Puelles, Commercial Counsellor and Head, Ontario Trade and Investment
These activities support the broader Canada-
Office. “Access to healthcare must be for
Mexico Action Plan 2025–2028. To formalize
everyone, and instruments like digital health
public-sector collaboration, Innovation,
can fill that void.”
Science and Economic Development Canada signed a memorandum of understanding with
Ontario serves as Canada’s primary hub for
Mexico’s Ministry of Economy to advance
life sciences. The province generates 60% of
biomanufacturing, industrial innovation, and
national healthcare sector revenues, houses
resilient health supply chains.
53% of the industry workforce, and accounts for 62% of Canada’s health-related exports.
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Abad-Puelles notes that Ontario’s health
find commercial exchange and technological
ecosystem spans physical and digital
development opportunities,” says Victor
AI, services for aging populations, and
Sanchez, CEO of Pragmatec. “This benefits
specialized infrastructure. The province
the economies of both countries and
operates nuclear research reactors dedicated
addresses relevant health problems on
specifically to cancer research and treatment
both sides.”
development. Looking ahead, trade representation will
Building Long-Term Bilateral Integration
expand further. In November, the Embassy of Canada and Pragmatec will organize a trade mission focused on biotechnology,
The delegation spent three days in Mexico
pharmaceuticals, critical medicines, and
City visiting universities, hospitals, research
active pharmaceutical ingredients.
centers, and national health institutes. These meetings aimed to establish clinical validation
S a n c h ez e m p h a s i ze s t h a t s u s t a i n e d
partnerships and facilitate direct business
engagement requires reciprocal exchange,
matching with Mexican organizations
encouraging Mexican firms, health institutions,
developing native technology.
and research centers to participate in upcoming trade missions to Ontario, Quebec,
“Canada and Mexico are bringing their
and British Columbia.
bridges closer together so companies can
MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE NETWORKS TO REDUCE MEXICO’S HEALTH BURDEN. the consolidation of institutions under the country’s Universal Health Service aims to move the country closer to universal coverage, its rollout still faces structural fragmentation, uneven intergovernmental coordination, and financial sustainability challenges. At the Mexico Health Summit 2026, panelists across hospitals, insurers, diagnostics, and specialty clinics argued that alliances among these actors are now being asked to resolve that fragmentation, not by building a single unified system, but by aligning multiple ones around shared population health outcomes. “Institutions across the healthcare system Fragmented incentives among hospitals,
should be optimized to focus more on
insurers, and public institutions limit the
covering specific medical specialties,
impact of Mexico’s healthcare alliances, say
rather than focusing on the patient’s
experts. Meanwhile, outcomes-driven models
medical affiliation,” says Marcelo Cruz, Co-
and shared-metric gaps can help alleviate
CEO, Clínicas del Hombre. Cruz argues
persistent capacity constraints and uneven
that fragmented payment structures push
financing across institutions.
hospitals, insurers, and public institutions to optimize for their own metrics rather than for
Mexico’s healthcare system remains split
the patient in front of them, and that alliances
across public and private tracks that rarely
built around specific conditions, rather than
share data, incentives, or patients. While
around who technically owns the patient
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relationship, could unlock efficiencies that a
Capacity constraints, however, make scaling
single-payer or single-provider model cannot
difficult without new partnerships. Mexico has
reach on its own.
fewer doctors and hospital beds per capita than the OECD average, and only a fraction of
That framing echoes a broader shift
the imaging equipment, such as MRI and CT
described by Pablo Ricalde, Director General,
scanners, that the population needs. Those
Consorcio Mexicano de Hospitales. Ricalde
gaps make it structurally difficult for any
says the population the health system was
single provider, public or private, to manage
originally designed to serve, one with a life
a population’s health independently, a point
expectancy near 65 years, no longer matches
reinforced by record consultation volumes
the population it actually serves today, as
reported this year across IMSS, ISSSTE, and
medical advances push life expectancy into
IMSS-Bienestar, which delivered a combined
the 80s and 90s. “In the era of AI, patients are
101.2 million first-level consultations between
more curious, informed, and health-conscious
January and July 2026, a 28% increase over
than ever. We have to redesign our care
the same period in 2022.
provision to reflect these advances,” he says.
A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach
Private insurance covers only around 10%
to care can produce measurable outcomes.
of Mexico’s population, meaning employers,
Javier Lozano, Co-Founder and CEO, Clínicas
insurers, and providers who want to align
del Azúcar, says an integrated model that
incentives around prevention are still
bundles physicians, nutritionists, lab testing,
negotiating that alignment case by case rather
and pharmacy access under one membership
than through a common set of population
has lowered the probability that a diabetes
health metrics. Sandro Scomparim, CEO,
patient develops complications, with the
Linet, argues that shared measurement is
company tracking more than 3,000 variables
where the sector is falling short. “Whether
per patient across 51 clinics and over half a
you are a hospital, insurer, or provider, it is
million patients treated since its founding 14
critical to optimize your respective processes
years ago. With over 12 million Mexican adults
and share these across the sector to create
living with diabetes and low-income families
synergies of efficiency,” he says, citing data
spending a significant share of household
showing a single patient fall can add 11.5 days
income managing the disease, panelists
to a hospital stay and that a pressure injury
argued the case for replicating outcomes-
can add US$6,000 to US$11,000 in additional
driven models across chronic conditions
costs, figures the sector rarely tracks or
extends well beyond diabetes.
shares across institutions.
19
Federico Lozano, CEO, Kabla Diagnostics,
Alvaro Cepeda, CEO, Polar Salud, which
connects that measurement gap to speed
operates 10 hospitals, says his company’s
of diagnosis. “We must work not only to
focus on operational efficiency is meant to
diagnose illnesses earlier, but to integrate
pass lower prices to patients directly, arguing
technology to rapidly make treatment
that accessibility, not prevention alone, is
decisions based on those diagnoses,” he says,
the outcome private operators are best
adding that point-of-care testing can shift
positioned to deliver at scale.
costs away from delayed hospitalizations when paired with clear clinical protocols.
Panelists broadly agreed that aligning incentives across payers, providers, and
Uneven public financing compounds the
employers is possible, but several said
challenge. Annual per-beneficiary spending
it requires structural change rather than
varies sharply across IMSS, ISSSTE, and
voluntary cooperation alone, particularly for
IMSS-Bienestar, which is tied to fragmented
the roughly half of the population that neither
budgeting and rising out-of-pocket costs for
private insurance nor current public capacity
households, reports Mexico Business News.
fully reaches.
UNLOCKING LATAM REAL WORLD DATA: FROM INVISIBLE TO OPPORTUNITY Although healthcare generates approximately 30% of all data produced globally, outpacing every other industry, millions of clinical records, lab results, and imaging studies remain trapped in isolated institutional silos that fail to communicate with one another, says Argentina-based healthtech company Cromodata. “Behind every data point, a person is waiting for a response. We work so that other patients do not have to wait so long,” says Keila Barral, CEO and Founder, Cromodata. According to Cromodata, this systemic disconnect directly impacts global scientific Fragmented healthcare data across Latin
representation. Less than 0.4% of individuals
America limits research, diagnostics,
represented in international genomic studies
and public health innovation, explains
belong to Latin American populations.
Cromodata. Millions of clinical records
Without regional data assets integrated
remain isolated, while regional populations
into modern research pipelines, global AI
are underrepresented in genomic studies.
models, clinical algorithms, and novel drug
Integrating, anonymizing, and securely
developments risk learning from demographic
l i ce n s i n g h e a l t h d at a co u l d i m p rove
and biological realities fundamentally distinct
representation, protect privacy, generate
from Latin America’s. The company considers
institutional revenue, and enable better AI
that a single patient frequently leaves
models and preventive care.
scattered clinical footprints across disparate providers, from private diagnostic networks
Real-world health data across Latin America
like Laboratorio Médico del Chopo to public
remains heavily fragmented, leaving gaps
institutes like IMSS, without any interoperable
between the clinical information generation
communication between them.
and actionable public health solutions.
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Healthcare institutions generate vast volumes
declared having at least one co-occurring
of information daily through hospitals,
cardiometabolic condition.
clinics, laboratories, and imaging centers. Simultaneously, pharmaceutical companies,
To address these disparities, Barral explains
AI developers, governments, and researchers
that Cromodata operates on a multi-sided marketplace and data licensing framework
“We take someone’s data, turn it into nobody’s data, and put it to work for everyone’s health”
Keila Barral CEO | Cromodata
that structures, tokenizes, and anonymizes health data rather than selling raw records. Because regional regulations focus almost exclusively on personal data laws rather than comprehensive health data standards, applying expert-determination certification under HIPAA and European GDPR standards
urgently require structured data to advance
resolves a critical regulatory gray area,
treatment models and improve diagnostics.
ensuring patient consent is paired with strict identity protection.
Barral emphasizes that transforming raw health data into structured, anonymized
Barral stressed that this framework allows
assets under international standards like
a single anonymized data point to be
HIPAA and GDPR can bridge these industry
licensed multiple times, creating a double
needs. “We take someone’s data, turn it
return. Under a subscription-style licensing
into nobody’s data, and put it to work for
model, healthcare institutions retain full
everyone’s health,” Barral explains, noting
data governance, while pharmaceutical
that anonymizing responses and displaying
developers, AI labs, and researchers purchase
aggregated results protects individual patient
time-bound, purpose-specific licenses with a
identity through irreversible de-identification
strict prohibition on secondary resale. Health
while revealing underlying health patterns
institutions retain the majority of the recurring
and cardiometabolic risk factors across
revenue generated from licensing, with some
populations.
medical centers earning up to three times more from an anonymized image than what
Recent health mapping data highlights
insurers reimbursed for the initial scan, while
significant gaps in preventive care and
Latin American patient populations gain
cardiometabolic health. Among individuals
proper representation in global medical
with a family history of medical conditions,
research, leading to better science, improved
52% had not undergone a preventive checkup
diagnostics, and more effective treatments.
within the past year. Additionally, among those reporting overweight or obesity, 48%
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Currently operating across eight countries,
network is on track to encompass 15% of
with core footprints in Argentina, Brazil,
Latin America and the Caribbean’s patient
and an expanding operation in Mexico, the
population.
THE FUTURE OF MEXICO’S MEDICAL DEVICE ECOSYSTEM
Mexico must leverage its mature
solutions,” says Alejandro Paolini, CEO,
manufacturing footprint to become a premier
Siemens Healthineers. Paolini notes that
hub for technological innovation, clinical
Mexico has traditionally been recognized as
research, and expanded healthcare access,
a highly competitive manufacturing platform,
said experts at Mexico Health Summit 2026.
supported by deep industrial clusters in
The discussion addressed how overcoming
states like Baja California and Chihuahua.
re g u l ato r y b ot t l e n e c ks , m o d e r n i z i n g institutional procurement formularies, and
In 2025 alone, Mexico exported US$14.62
deploying advanced tools like AI, robotics,
billion in medical, surgical, and dental
and precision diagnostics are crucial to
instruments to the United States, contributing
bridging the country’s domestic care deficits.
to US$29.98 billion in total optical and medical equipment shipments north of
Mexico stands at a pivotal turning point
the border. However, sustaining long-term
where its global manufacturing dominance
competitiveness requires moving beyond
must actively convert into domestic
labor-intensive assembly lines to embrace
healthcare transformation. While nearshoring
high-value technology segments, including
momentum and established industrial
theranostics, photon-counting computed
clusters have firmly cemented the nation’s
tomography, and advanced radiotherapy,
role as an international production power,
says Paolini.
leading medical device executives argue that the sector’s top strategic priority must shift toward local technological development,
Addressing Domestic Deficits Through Targeted Technology
regulatory modernization, and expanding p a t i e n t a cce ss a c ro ss t h e d o m e st i c
The urgency to shift focus inward is
health system.
underscored by the severe infrastructure and diagnostic deficits within Mexico’s
“Mexico is the fifth-largest medical device
domestic health system. According to KPMG
exporter globally and the first in Latin
Mexico analysis, the nation operates with
America, but the main challenge is taking the
approximately a quarter of the diagnostic
next step to become a hub for technological
imaging equipment (such as MRI and CT
development and high-value healthcare
scanners) required to adequately serve its
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population. Furthermore, Mexico records just
that can dramatically alter clinical outcomes.
2.5 doctors and 1.6 hospital beds per 1,000
Expanding access to these advanced
people, falling significantly short of OECD averages of 3.3 doctors and 4.8 beds. Overcoming these systemic deficits requires aligning technological adoption with Mexico’s most urgent epidemiological priorities, particularly chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer. “Timely diagnosis, empowering overburdened healthcare professionals, and ensuring continuous patient follow-up are the three main health priorities that medical devices must address,” says Negal Ciliberto, Country Leader and Health Systems Finance, Philips Mexico. Ciliberto explains that healthcare workers face immense administrative burdens and limited operational resources, leading to long waiting
technologies helps resolve the complex
times and fragmented care. By combining
equation of improving patient care within
hardware with intelligent software, AI, and
tight public health budgets.
specialized professional training programs, health systems can streamline hospital
Modernizing Regulation and
workflows, reduce operational bottlenecks,
Frameworks to Broaden Access
and give clinical personnel more time to concentrate on direct patient care.
A major obstacle to deploying these advancements locally is the extended
“Focusing technological innovation on high-
timeline required for new technologies to
incidence conditions allows health systems
navigate regulatory and administrative
and manufacturers to maximize direct patient
hurdles. On average, an innovative medical
impact,” says Ciliberto.
technology takes 5.5 years to enter Mexico’s public healthcare system, driven by lengthy
Paolini also points to cardiovascular devices,
health registrations and delayed updates to
remote monitoring tools, and minimally
institutional formularies.
invasive procedures as critical segments “Simplifying regulatory and procurement pathways is necessary to ensure advanced surgical robotics and orthopedic solutions reach public facilities efficiently,” says Héctor Orellana, Vice President North Latin America, Medtronic. Orellana also notes that while advanced technologies like robotic surgery and remote monitoring can fundamentally transform hospital efficiency and patient throughput, bureaucratic delays prevent public institutions from realizing these operational benefits in a timely manner. To narrow this gap, COFEPRIS issued regulations establishing reliance pathways
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that recognize prior approvals from reference
stakeholder collaboration among device
international bodies and the World Health
manufacturers, public and private healthcare
Organization. This mechanism allows the
providers, academic institutions, and
agency to evaluate research protocols,
government authorities. “Aligning industry
grant health registrations, and approve good
capabilities with government health goals and
manufacturing practice certificates without
academic research is essential to transform
duplicating full technical reviews.
manufacturing strength into domestic health ecosystem growth,” says Ana Riquelme,
“Regulatory processes must act as facilitators
Executive Director, AMID.
of innovation without compromising patient safety,” says Orellana. He emphasizes that
Riquelme highlights that while Mexico
this same spirit of innovation must extend
has successfully established itself as an
to regulatory science and procurement
export engine, consolidating its position
frameworks, creating a synchronized chain
requires building strong domestic research
that allows new technologies to move
and clinical trial networks. By pairing local
seamlessly from production to clinical
university talent with industry expertise and
application.
supportive government policies, Mexico can transition from an assembly base into a true
Building Ecosystem Collaboration
center for medical innovation, ensuring its
for Long-Term Growth
booming export advantage directly elevates healthcare quality for Mexican patients.
Achieving a self-sustaining medical device ecosystem requires structured, multi-
PHARMA FUTURE THROUGH DIGITAL INNOVATION Digital capabilities only create value when
within a broader ecosystem that includes
tied to measurable patient outcomes, making
regulation, process change, and cross-sector
technology as one element within a broader
collaboration, rather than a standalone
healthcare ecosystem, says Takeda’s Victor
objective for the pharmaceutical industry.
Villalba. Takeda is focusing on R&D, therapy design, plasma-derived therapies, and supply chain quality , while strengthening Mexico’s role as a global capability hub.
“Integrating new health technologies and building digital capabilities only adds value when applied to real care outcomes. Digitalization for digitalization’s sake adds little valuh”
Victor Villalba
Site Lead | Takeda Innovation Center
Takeda is pushing digital transformation as a means to strengthen patient care, not as an end in itself, says Victor Villalba, GDM Site Lead Mexico, Takeda. Speaking at the Mexico Health Summit 2026, Villalba positioned technology as one component
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well as local talent in software development and data science as key factors behind the decision. Villalba highlights that Takeda employees have logged more than 30,000 hours of training in digital skills and emerging technologies, underscoring the company’s effort to build internal capacity rather than treat digitalization as an isolated technology purchase. The company marks 245 years of global operations and 60 years in Mexico, a tenure Villalba links to consistent trust and reputation management within the biopharmaceutical sector. He argues that any technology deployment must account for the full patient ecosystem, including hospitals, physicians, regulators, and family support systems, warning that narrowly scoped digital solutions risk producing limited results. “Integrating new health technologies and
Takeda’s emphasis on applied, outcome-
building digital capabilities only adds
driven digitalization echoes a broader shift
value when applied to real care outcomes.
underway across Mexico’s pharmaceutical
Digitalization for digitalization’s sake adds
sector. Sanofi’s MX$665 million investment
little value,” says Villalba. He adds that
in clinical research in immunology, oncology,
innovation is not the product of a single
vaccines, and chronic disease treatment
breakthrough idea but a methodical,
similarly reflects how AI and data-driven
sustained process built across the company’s
research are becoming central to accelerating
business units, including gastroenterology,
drug development timelines in the country,
rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies,
rather than serving as peripheral initiatives.
oncology, neuroscience, and vaccines. T h e p u s h a l s o a l i g n s w i t h g row i n g Villalba frames Takeda’s approach around
institutional momentum around digital health
four core value areas: R&D aimed at reducing
infrastructure. Hospital General de México’s
diagnostic and treatment timelines, therapy
launch of an AI research center integrating
design that eases the patient journey, plasma-
data science and engineering into clinical and
derived therapy production, and supply
administrative applications signals a broader
chain quality that ensures treatments reach
move from isolated digital pilots toward
patients on time and in the right condition.
permanent infrastructure.
He notes that all four areas are guided by patient-centricity as the company’s
Villalba’s remarks reinforce the theme that
primary decision-making criterion, ahead of
talent development is inseparable from
commercial considerations.
digital transformation. He points to Takeda’s capability centers as a mechanism for
Takeda operates more than 20 manufacturing
building software engineering, data science,
sites and two specialized biopharmaceutical
and agile transformation expertise locally,
R&D centers globally, with a presence in
positioning Mexico’s talent pool as a driver
more than 80 countries. In Mexico, the
of the company’s broader digital strategy
company has invested in one of its three
rather than a downstream beneficiary of it.
global capability development hubs, citing geographic and time zone alignment as
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REBUILDING MEXICO’S PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN Mexico is working to strengthen
starting materials, where global supply is
pharmaceutical sovereignty by expanding
concentrated in a handful of countries. China
d o m e s t i c m a n u fa c t u r i n g , i m p r ov i n g
alone supplies roughly 70% of the precursors
regulatory efficiency, and increasing supply-
used to manufacture acetaminophen and,
chain visibility, say industry experts. Heavy
by some estimates, up to 90% of the active
dependence on imported APIs creates
ingredients behind widely used antibiotics,
vulnerability, while medicine waste and
according to a US Senate Special Committee
shortages reveal coordination gaps. Strategic
on Aging analysis of the foreign generic
public procurement, infrastructure investment,
pharmaceutical supply chain.
incentives, security, and regional export opportunities could transform Mexico from
Industry leaders emphasize that true
importer to reliable pharmaceutical supplier.
sovereignty does not mean absolute isolation or total self-sufficiency, but rather
Mexico’s pharmaceutical industry has
guaranteed, intelligent access to critical
spent recent years proving it can withstand
medicines. For Mexico, closing that gap is
disruption. The next test is whether it can
less an efficiency question than a strategic
build enough domestic manufacturing
one: whether the country can consolidate
capacity to reduce its exposure to those
scattered manufacturing capabilities into the
disruptions in the first place, rather than
kind of concentrated production power that
absorbing them shipment by shipment.
lets it act as a supplier to the region, not only a buyer from it.
“The system must promote collaborative practices rather than working in silos where
Building that local manufacturing power
actors detach themselves from the equation,”
requires navigating a clear gradient of
says Alberto Miranda, General Director,
technical complexity across drug production
MARZAM. “A bottleneck does not simply
stages. Carlos Oconitrillo, Supply Chain
occur when a company fails to obtain product;
Management Head, Bayer Pharmaceutical
it happens because ecosystem actors fail to
Division, notes that manufacturing spans
anticipate demand together to ensure the
API synthesis, bulk formulation, and final
right medicine reaches the patient.”
conditioning. He adds that while APIs are technically complex, their low volume makes
Much of that exposure traces back to
air transport economically viable. Conversely,
active pharmaceutical ingredients and key
final product conditioning involves moving
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high volume and mostly air, causing logistics
sourcing one. IMSS wrote off MX$177.4 million
costs to surge. Oconitrillo explains that
(US$10.5 million) in expired medicines in
this reality opens a clear regional window:
2022 alone. ISSSTE reported average annual
while high-specialty therapies often remain
losses of MX$102 million (US$6.04 million)
near parent company headquarters, Mexico
that same year from drugs that expired in
can capture high-volume formulation and
warehouses before reaching patients, even
packaging for Latin America, competing
as patients with conditions such as cancer
directly with emerging manufacturing hubs in
and HIV protested shortages of those same
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, Argentina,
categories of medicine. Expired stock and
and Brazil.
active shortages coexisting inside the same public health system is precisely the kind
Capturing that market, and expanding
of bottleneck that stronger shared visibility
into rare domestic API synthesis, demands
and traceability between public buyers
addressing structural barriers to investment
and private logistics providers are meant
ROI. A primary hurdle is regulatory and
to prevent.
administrative latency across agencies like COFEPRIS, CONAGUA, CFE, and
“A bad sales forecast from a miscalculated
SEMARNAT, where site inclusion approvals
public sector order impacts the private
and technology transfer authorizations can
market as well. When there is unfulfilled public
take over two years. Oconitrillo explained that
demand, patients turn to the private market,
Bayer is executing a MX$1.1 billion (US$65
squeezing private demand planning. The volume is so massive that it can compromise overall availability across the entire market,” says Gabriel Morales, General Director at Weser Pharma. Logistics providers and private distribution networks are already positioning for a larger role in closing that gap. Marcos Pascual, Commercial Director, ANAFARMEX, highlights that Mexico’s private distribution backbone operates over 1,000 cold-chain vehicles and 250,000m² of warehouse space to move more than 2.4 billion units monthly. This infrastructure powers over 20,000 pharmacy-adjacent clinics conducting 20 million monthly consultations, providing urban populations access to medications within five to ten minutes.
million) expansion of its Lerma facility, but while exports to the US market can begin as
Simultaneously, UPS Healthcare opened a
early as 2027, regulatory timelines delay local
10,700m2 cold chain cross-dock facility in
domestic market supply until 2030. To draw
Mexico City in early 2025, certified under
new capital away from competing nations,
IATA’s CEIV Pharma standard and capable
industry insiders consider that Mexico
of handling temperature ranges from ambient
must address lingering security risks, offer
to frozen. This facility is part of a broader
competitive incentives like land donations
push by carriers to build out dedicated
or tax offsets, and establish absolute legal,
pharmaceutical infrastructure as demand
regulatory, and volume certainty.
for temperature-controlled distribution keeps rising. For a pharmaceutical sector where
That vulnerability shows up domestically as a
cold chain integrity and delivery visibility
logistics and visibility problem as much as a
determine whether a shipment arrives usable,
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that kind of integrated logistics investment
year, predictable purchasing schedules
is a direct input into supply chain resilience,
across that public share of the market are
not a peripheral one.
what manufacturers say they need to justify new investment in local production, since a
Gabriel Obregón, Vice President of Operations
single-year tender cycle makes it difficult to
for Latin America, UPS, emphasizes that
commit capital to domestic API or finished-
Mexico’s air connectivity positions the
dose manufacturing that only pays off over
country to serve as a strategic regional
a longer horizon.
supplier and exporter of medicines and APIs across Latin America and beyond, even
For the industry, sovereignty does not
reaching markets like Asia within two days.
necessarily mean replacing every imported
He notes that real-time visibility across cold-
input with a domestic one. It can also mean
chain logistics ensures these temperature-
building enough local capacity, procurement
sensitive shipments reach patients without
predictability, and shared visibility across
breakdown.
public and private supply chains that a disruption originating abroad no longer
Public procurement is the lever most within
determines whether a Mexican patient
Mexico’s own control. Government purchases
gets their medicine on time. Balancing that
account for roughly 27% of the value of
capacity against continued global sourcing,
Mexico’s pharmaceutical market, and the
while making Mexico attractive enough to
industry already generates close to 74,000
draw new pharmaceutical manufacturing
direct jobs and more than 310,000 indirect
investment, is the real test of whether
ones, touching 161 of the 259 branches that
resilience becomes sovereignty, or stays
make up the country’s economic input-
a permanent exercise in managing the
output matrix, according to KPMG. Multi-
next shortage.
THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS: RESHAPING PRIVATE INSURANCE, ALLIANCES Mexico’s healthcare sector is facing an
than 4.5 million individuals carry individual
affordability crisis driven by high out-of-
policies. “In Mexico, accessing healthcare
pocket expenses and private insurance penetration below 10%. Solving the gap requires shifting from fee-for-service models toward AI-enabled risk management, preventive care, and aligned public-private incentives to ensure long-term system sustainability, say experts. Mexican
households
shoulder
a
disproportionate share of national health spending. Out-of-pocket expenses in Mexico remain more than double the OECD average, accounting for 29%–39% of total health expenditure and rising 41.4% between 2018–2024. In 2024, over 1 million families suffered catastrophic healthcare expenses, underscoring a severe protection gap across the country. Private health insurance covers only around 10% of the Mexican population, while fewer
28
services depends largely on the patient’s capacity to pay,” says Carla Calderón, Head of
Leveraging AI and Data to Align System Incentives
Healthcare and Life Sciences, Baker McKenzie Abogados México, forcing industry leaders to
Technological innovations are accelerating
evaluate new financing structures.
risk pricing and care delivery. Enrique Enrriquez, Vice President of and AI, Sofía,
Addressing the affordability crisis requires
highlights that 80% of their small and medium
restructuring how healthcare quality and risk
enterprise clients had never provided private
are evaluated. Carlos Arellano, CEO, TecSalud,
health insurance before. Because insurance
explains that fee-for-service models fail to
is traditionally tied to formal employment,
reward positive patient outcomes or clinical
coverage remains inaccessible to over half
efficiency. “The most important requirement
of Mexico’s labor force.
to achieve accessibility is moving from a
To address this gap, Sofía uses AI trained on
cost conversation to a demonstrated value
standardized electronic health records to
conversation for patients and insurers,” says
detect health risks early and assist clinicians
Arellano. He notes that limited adoption of
during consultations. “AI solutions that keep
electronic medical records across private
a doctor in the loop act as a super-power that
hospitals continues to hinder data-driven
completely changes the patient experience,”
quality assessments.
says Enrriquez.
Systemic fragmentation also drives patient
Financing innovation is also expanding
care toward high-cost tertiary care hospitals
distribution channels. Mexico’s embedded
rather than primary prevention. Diego Diaz,
finance market, which includes insurance sold
General Director, Grupo San Ángel Inn,
through non-insurance digital platforms, is
stresses that 60% of Mexicans seek initial
projected to grow from US$17.00 billion in
care at pharmacy-adjacent clinics, leaving
2024 to roughly US$22.88 billion by 2030.
the broader system disarticulated. Jean-Louis Brunet, Founder and CEO, Mutuus, “If we are in the illness business, we are in
explains that digital platforms allow insurers
the immediacy business, and everything will
to transition from passive claim processing to
cost what it has to cost,” says Diaz. Aligning
active health management. “The model that
medical providers, insurers, and patients
becomes the most efficient and truly resolves
around preventive care is essential to contain
the root problem will align the incentives of
escalating medical inflation, he adds.
all health players,” says Brunet. He adds that 95% of member health issues managed early
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through technology are successfully resolved
“We must measure the system not by how
outside hospital settings.
much illness costs us, but by how much it costs us to generate health,” says Alonso y
Building Sustainable Financing and Preventive Alliances
Caloca. Shared industry data standards and wellness incentives would allow insurers to offer lower premiums to proactive
Long-term sustainability requires shifting the
policyholders, he adds.
industry’s focus toward continuous wellness and predictive risk models. Salvador Alonso
Public-private partnerships and scalable
y Caloca, Director General, Seguros Banorte,
coverage options are increasingly crucial
points out that traditional actuarial valuations
as medical inflation rises between 10%–
focus heavily on catastrophe costs rather
15% annually. Integrating preventive care,
than health preservation.
transparent health data, and flexible insurance products will determine whether Mexico can close its health protection gap.
THE FUTURE STARTS NOW: WHAT HEALTHCARE LEADERS MUST DO NEXT Persistent structural gaps threaten Mexico’s
resource allocation to specialist shortages
healthcare system. These include insufficient
and uneven access between urban and
resource allocation, specialist shortages,
rural areas.
and uneven urban-rural access, alongside the growing burden of metabolic disease.
During the event, Valle pointed to the rising
However, new treatments and technologies
burden of metabolic disease as a growing pressure point for the system, reinforcing the need for stronger prevention strategies across the sector. These challenges are not isolated obstacles but as interconnected pressures that will define the next phase of healthcare delivery in Mexico, he added. Closing spending and access gaps cannot happen through infrastructure investment alone, and that talent development, prevention strategy, and technology adoption must move in tandem for the system to keep pace with the country’s evolving health needs, said Valle. This framing positions the coming years as a pivotal window for both public institutions and private industry to translate summit discussions into coordinated action.
could open the door to increasing access to
Looking ahead, Valle identifies GLP-1
healthcare services, says FunSalud.
therapies as one of the most consequential developments likely to reshape multiple
Mexico’s healthcare system continues to face
industries, from pharmaceuticals and
structural spending gaps relative to other
diagnostics to fitness and wellness. He says
economies, said Hector Valle, President,
the companies best positioned to benefit will
FunSalud, during Mexico Health Summit
be those that combine a strong molecule,
2026. He also urged healthcare leaders to act
solid clinical evidence, broad patient access,
on long-standing structural weaknesses, from
and a well-designed patient experience.
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