It was said for a long time that it was just a passing fad, but time has shown that this is not the case. The truth is that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a fundamental element for companies in Mexico and around the world. In this sense, the pharmaceutical industry is no stranger to this approach, since it has a significant impact on people’s health and well-being.
As we know, CSR demands that companies of all kinds assume an ethical commitment and actively contribute to the sustainable development of the society in which they operate. In the case of the pharmaceutical industry, the duty is greater, because its mission is to provide health through its research and medical innovations.
But despite what many might think, it is not only about providing quality medicines and treatments, but also going further and supporting the communities most in need, which in countries like Mexico are many.
Pharmaceuticals united for a single purpose
During the pandemic, we witnessed how pharmaceutical companies from around the world came together as a scientific community, accelerated their work and focused on research for the creation of vaccines and treatments to combat the disease that emerged at the end of 2019 caused by the new coronavirus, Covid-19.
We all know the results were very positive and were done in a record time of just a few months, in a process that usually takes a decade or even more; thus, a series of anti-Covid vaccines were developed, produced and distributed throughout the world to combat it, in addition to a few medicines that have already begun to be used to treat the sick.
We cannot fail to mention that despite the joint effort, each pharmaceutical company also worked on their own developments, which is why we saw a handful of vaccines emerge from different latitudes, some of them even in collaboration, such as that of Pfizer-BioNtech, to mention one case.
As we see, pharmaceutical companies have the ability to use their resources, experience and global reach to address health challenges and social commitments. Through CSR programs, these companies can make a significant difference in people’s lives, as well as improve access to health care and necessary resources.
“Under the shelter of Novartis”
Novartis, of Swiss origin, is a leading pharmaceutical company worldwide. The firm has demonstrated its commitment to CSR in Mexico through various initiatives that seek to benefit vulnerable communities. It is enough to remember his campaign “Under the shelter of Novartis”, which began in 2004, where company personnel -who offered their participation voluntarily in their free time- went to poor communities in our country to distribute blankets in cold weather. .
This pharmaceutical company has reaffirmed its commitment to promote access to quality medical care and medicines in the country. To this end, the company has implemented various initiatives to address the needs of the most vulnerable communities and ensure that they have access to essential treatments.
One prominent example is the “Acceso Novartis” program, which focuses on providing affordable medicines for patients with chronic diseases. Through this initiative, Novartis seeks to reduce economic barriers and facilitate access to vital treatments and improve adherence to treatment, thereby improving the quality of life of thousands of people in Mexico.
Promotion of sustainable practices
Also, sustainability and environmental protection are key elements in the recent actions of Novartis México in terms of CSR. The company has implemented policies and programs to reduce its environmental footprint and promote sustainable practices in all its operations.
In particular, Novartis has placed an emphasis on reducing energy and water consumption, proper waste management and mitigation of carbon emissions. In addition, the pharmaceutical company promotes environmental education and ecological awareness among its employees and various audiences.
These actions, among others, demonstrate that the pharmaceutical industry can go beyond its core role and use its resources and expertise to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Also, they can contribute to the construction of a more just and equitable society, where access to medical care and social support are a reality for all.
7 pharmaceutical companies 7
In this sense, the business magazine Executive World released its list of the 100 companies that have shown that they take CSR seriously and fully commit, seven of which belong to the pharmaceutical industry and are active members of the National Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Canifarma).
To determine if a company meets the necessary characteristics to be recognized with the CSR badge, 40 items divided into the following five sections are used: 1) Quality of life in the company, 2) Business ethics, 3) Link and commitment to the community, 4) Environment and 5) Economic factor.
The seven pharmaceutical companies included in the 2022 list, according to the position they occupy, are the following:
• Pfizer,
• AstraZeneca,
• Sanofi,
• Bristol Myers Squibb,
• Novartis,
• Roche and
• Bayern.
Unwavering social commitment
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), companies that assume their social responsibility have the following characteristics: “They take into consideration the repercussions that their activities have on society, in which they affirm the principles and values by which they govern, both in their own internal methods and processes, and in relation to the other actors”.
To conclude, however, CSR is a voluntary undertaking that only depends on the company in question, and refers to activities that go beyond mere compliance with the law, but which is understood as a commitment to its environment and to society in general. . In the case of pharmaceutical companies, due to their nature focused on providing health, the duty to others is even greater.
Reforms to the health system are published in the DOF
It finally appeared published and its effects are already beginning to be felt. He Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) published on Monday, May 29, the decree by which the Insabi disappears and its functions are integrated into the IMSS-Welfare. In this way, various provisions of the General Health Law (LGS) are reformed, added and repealed, to regulate the Health System for Well-being (SSB). It entered into force yesterday, Tuesday May 30.
Let us remember that on April 25, the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies approved the draft decree, which was sent to the Senate of the Republic for its constitutional effects, with which, however, the Insabi disappears -which at the beginning of 2020 had replaced Seguro Popular- and its functions are integrated into the IMSS-Welfare.
The published decree details that the health services of the IMSS-Bienestar will collaborate with the Ministry of Health (SSa) regarding the free provision of health services, medicines and other associated supplies required by people without social security.
In this context, in theory, the governments of the federal entities will assist in the operation and strengthening of the National Health System (SNS), which configures that the SSB is now made up of: the SSa, Health Services of the IMSS-Welfare, as well as the institutions and organizations that participate in it and, in addition, concurrently by the federal entities.
It is important to mention that said decree expressly prohibits the collection of recovery fees for the provision of health services, medicines and other supplies associated with people without social security.
Let’s see what this new design of the health system, done on the knees, results in. As we know, the Insabi did not work -so much so that now it rests in the cemetery- and now this government is betting everything on the IMSS-Welfare “pulling the ox out of the ravine”, to see what happens with this cuatrotero health model, but the outlook, initially, is not rosy.
The AME, included in the LER
Cur-AME, Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation Mexico, announced that Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) has been included in the List of Rare Diseases (LER) of the General Health Council (CSG), which means that public health institutions health should provide multidisciplinary care to patients with SMA.
It should be said that SMA is a congenital neuromuscular disease that damages the motor neurons of the spinal cord, which causes progressive muscle weakness, due to the deficiency of the SMN1 gene. In short, it is a highly disabling disease that affects all muscles, including the respiratory muscles.
Worldwide, it affects one in 10,000 people, while one in 40 people are carriers. SMA has become the main cause of death in genetic diseases in children under two years of age, especially for not having a correct diagnosis in early stages and treatment, for which it is essential to include this condition in neonatal screening.
Given this, CurAME has promoted internal registries of people with SMA among their communities through which they seek to have an estimate of the population of people with this condition, since currently in Mexico there is no official registry that generates reliable figures on incidence, prevalence and mortality of SMA, in addition to allowing medical and social care interventions focused on this population group.
Treatments for SMA that have a sanitary registry in Mexico were included in the National Compendium of Health Supplies (CNIS), which allows the availability of such treatments for public health institutions.
Thus, the next efforts should be aimed at achieving the inclusion of treatments in the catalogs of public health institutions to make access effective, as well as to move towards a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to SMA. In addition to this, it is necessary to give greater visibility to this disease so that it is known and recognized by all.
But the inclusion of SMA in the LER is very good news. Congratulations.
the first aid kit
- According to the lawyer Javier Coello Trejo, who is one of the plaintiffs, there are already 17 complaints against the Undersecretary of Health, former czar of the pandemic, Hugo López-Gatell, for the deaths registered during the health emergency due to the new Covid-19 disease. 19. We’ll see how this soap opera ends.
- The INAH, again to the old ways. There are already reports of the destruction of an old aqueduct in one of the drainage rehabilitation works in the Historic Center of Puebla, which has exposed the lack of INAH supervision in an area that belongs to the monumental zone of the Puebla capital. . Therefore, the INAH has had an unsuccessful intervention in this project, because institute officials would have tried to make undue charges -of four million pesos- for a task that corresponds to them as part of their work. Like this or more corruption?
