On July 7, 2025, Mexico’s regulatory authority, COFEPRIS, issued a new decree that substantially revises the classification framework for medical devices, thereby formally repealing the agreements published in 2011 and 2014.
COFEPRIS has implemented a series of simplification and modernization measures aimed at streamlining procedures and reducing the regulatory burden for establishments. These actions are part of the federal government’s regulatory improvement policies. This update specifically applies to the Operating License.
COFEPRIS has published a new agreement recognizing the evaluations and approvals from key international regulatory authorities and the WHO Prequalification Program for sanitary registrations of medicines and medical devices. This move, effective 60 business days after publication, aims to expedite access to quality health inputs by adopting a "reliance" approach, simplifying import procedures for essential products during health crises.
This Decree, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on June 2, 2025, establishes a regulatory framework aimed at promoting investment within Mexico to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry, the production of medicines, health inputs, and medical devices, as well as fostering scientific research. Its main objective is to reduce import dependency and ensure the availability of these essential products, using consolidated public procurement as a lever for economic development.
COFEPRIS is undergoing a significant transformation under "Plan México," aiming to become an agile, transparent, and internationally harmonized agency. This includes a push for 100% digitization of procedures, fostering clinical research, streamlining regulatory pathways, and modernizing the regulatory framework to boost investment and ensure public health.
Dietary supplements are defined as products intended to increase or complement the total dietary intake, or to supply one or more of their components. COFEPRIS is the authority in Mexico responsible for regulating these products and for establishing the labeling requirements they must meet to be marketed in the country.
COFEPRIS has published a new agreement recognizing the evaluations and approvals from key international regulatory authorities and the WHO Prequalification Program for sanitary registrations of medicines and medical devices. This move, effective 60 business days after publication, aims to expedite access to quality health inputs by adopting a "reliance" approach, simplifying import procedures for essential products during health crises.
This Decree, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on June 2, 2025, establishes a regulatory framework aimed at promoting investment within Mexico to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry, the production of medicines, health inputs, and medical devices, as well as fostering scientific research. Its main objective is to reduce import dependency and ensure the availability of these essential products, using consolidated public procurement as a lever for economic development.
COFEPRIS is undergoing a significant transformation under "Plan México," aiming to become an agile, transparent, and internationally harmonized agency. This includes a push for 100% digitization of procedures, fostering clinical research, streamlining regulatory pathways, and modernizing the regulatory framework to boost investment and ensure public health.
In the medical device sector, safety and regulatory compliance are fundamental to ensuring quality and protecting patients. A key aspect of this process is traceability within the supply chain. As distributors, sharing updated information, such as the Notice of Operation and the Registration of the Tecnovigilance Unit, with the sanitary registration holder is not only a regulatory obligation but also an essential practice to ensure operational continuity and avoid setbacks in procedures with COFEPRIS.
The Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS), through an Agreement published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on March 27, 2025, will simplify health supplies procedures. Starting 15 working days after publication, procedures for establishment operation notices (COFEPRIS-05-006) and modifications/cancellations (COFEPRIS-05-007) will be merged, and the requirement to submit the "Operation Notice, Sanitary Responsible, and Modification or Cancellation Notice" form and the "Original Responsible Notice, for the case of sanitary responsible cancellation" will be eliminated.
