The Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) bought an oncological drug from an Argentine laboratory that does not have a health registry in the country, in addition to paying a high premium for said drug.
According to what was reported by other media, it was in the delegation of the state of Michoacán where the cancer medicine was acquired. The purchase of the drug was carried out through three different direct awards.
363 units of mercaptopurine, an essential drug in the treatment of leukemia, were purchased in both children and adults. The medicine that was delivered by the supplier Leo Medik SA de CV is of the Varimer brand, which does not have a health registry in Mexico.
According to the page of the Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris), the only brand with a health permit to market this cancer in Mexico is purinethol.
It should be noted that the IMSS paid 3,000 pesos for each box of the cancer drug to the Argentine laboratory without a health record. Each box of the medicine contains 25 tablets. It is worth mentioning that in pharmacies in Argentina, the drug costs the equivalent of 2,469 Mexican pesos.
The price paid by the Institute is also higher than that of purinethol, the only brand with sanitary registration and whose value to the public is 2,346.5 pesos.
What is Purinethol?
According to information from the Vademecum site, 6-mercaptopurine is an inactive prodrug that acts as a purine antagonist, but requires cellular uptake and intracellular anabolism to convert into thioguanine nucleotides to be cytotoxic. The 6-mercaptopurine metabolites inhibit de novo purine synthesis and purine nucleotide interconversions.
Thioguanine nucleotides are also incorporated into nucleic acids and this contributes to the cytotoxic effects of the active ingredient. There is generally cross-resistance between 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine.
It is indicated as treatment of acute leukemia. It can be used to induce their remission and is especially indicated for maintenance therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia. It is indicated in adults, children and adolescents.
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