‘We want to Eliminate the Need to Search for Medicines Outside of Panama’
Health Minister Fernando Boyd Galindo is working on a system of regulated prices to ensure that pharmacies, especially small ones, can offer medicines at affordable costs.

The high cost of medicines in Panama continues to be a problem that affects thousands of patients daily and generates a constant outcry from citizens. Faced with this situation, on January 2, 2025, the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, announced an ambitious plan to significantly reduce the prices of medicines in the country. As part of this initiative, he asked the Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, to make the 20 most commonly used medicines available in the country’s pharmacies at a substantial discount during the current month. Boyd Galindo explained that the goal is not only to reduce prices, but also to guarantee the sustainability of the pharmaceutical sector. “We are developing a system of regulated prices that allows pharmacies to operate with a fair profit margin, without passing on excessive costs to patients,” he said.