AGREEMENT BETWEEN LIF AND IAPOS

Last week an agreement of “Mutual collaboration and assistance” was signed between LIF and IAPOS (Santa Fe’s social health insurance for civil servants).

The main objective is to deliver high-quality medicine at affordable prices for IAPOS and to give mutual assistance to improve healthcare, guaranteeing the efficiency and making the best use of the resources.


Background of LIF and IAPOS

In 2008, the Health Ministry of Santa Fe signed an agreement of mutual collaboration with IAPOS and Pharmacist’s College to carry out actions related to birth control, to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to reduce maternal death.

In 2009, the Health Ministry of Santa Fe started the provision of LIF contraceptives to women who were sexually active within the public health system and IAPOS coverage.
From May 2009 to date LIF has delivered 34,557 contraceptive cycles to IAPOS and 1,187,056 contraceptive cycles to the Health Ministry of Santa Fe to use in the public health system.

State Production of Medicines, research and coffee

On October 3, LIF Director, Pharmacist Guillermo Cleti, participated in the Scientific Café entitled “Medicines in a Net: Implications of a State Policy”. The Net was founded in 2010 by Science and Technology Secretary, UNL, Pilot Plant of the Pharmacy School – UNR, LIF SE, LEM SE and CONICET.

LIF Director Cleti gave the lecture together with Pharmacist Nelson Sturtz, Technical Director of the Pilot Plant of the Pharmacy School – UNR.

State production of medicines, research, scientific innovations and orphan drugs were some of the topics developed by both specialists.

This Scientific Café session took place at La Favrika Bar in Rosario and the topic was a replay of the lecture that Cleti and Sturtz gave in Santa Fe last September. This lecture is part of a program organized by Science and Technology Secretary, UNL, UCA Santa Fe and CONICET Santa Fe.

The purpose of this program is to allow the population to meet with scientists and researchers to talk about interesting topics.

Lecture at FEFARA

On Thursday 27, LIF Board of Directors Carlos Arques gave a presentation about state production of medications at Federal and International Meeting of Policy, Economy and Management of Medicines organized by the Federación Farmacéutica Argentina (FEFARA: the pharmaceutical federation in Argentina).

The lecture, entitled: “State Production of Medicines, the first step of a long way”, took place at Ros Tower Hotel in Rosario on September 27 and 28. 

LIF Director started the presentation talking about the LIF’s experience as an example of an efficient state-run company. Then he gave information about the advances in state production in Santa Fe, its importance as a tool for the population to access medicines, the investment in the last four years and LIF’s future projects.

Term meeting of LIF’s staff members

On Thursday 20, all LIF’s staff members attended the two-hour term meeting that took place at LIF headquarters. At the beginning, some of the topics in the meeting were the projects of future production of medicines for national programs, organizational training and the Directors’ latest activities.

It should be noted that the Social Observatory of the UNL carried out a survey last August and the staff made proposals concerning internal communication and social and work relationships at LIF. During the meeting the Board of Directors gave feedback on the proposals which had been provided in previous workshops about job satisfaction and organizational atmosphere. Finally, the meeting included a question and answer session among all present.

Meeting at Health Ministry

On Thursday 13, LIF Board of Directors had a meeting with Dr. Jorge Zarzur, Executive Director of the National Program of State Productions of Medicines, Vaccines and Medical Devices. 
The meeting took place at the National Ministry in Buenos Aires where they analyzed the current situation of the state producers of medicines. Some of the topics on the agenda were the next training for staff members of state laboratories in Santa Fe city in October and LIF’s project of future productions of medicines for national programs.

Lecture at Santa Fe’s House in Buenos Aires

On Thursday 13, LIF Board of Directors gave a presentation about state production of medications.

The lecture, entitled: “State Production of Medicines, a State Policy in Santa Fe”, took place at Santa Fe’s House in Buenos Aires.

LIF Directors gave information about the advances in state production in Santa Fe, its importance as a tool for the population to access medicines, the investment in the last four years and LIF’s future projects. 

"Sildenafil is not for all”

LIF was present in the media  The topic of the week was “The sildenafil”.
Sildenafil is the drug commonly known for its commercial brand: Viagra.
Many mass media gave the information as “Santa Fe delivered Viagra for all”.
The media use the name “Viagra” because this brand was the first to appear in the commercial market of medicines. It is the drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. This pathology commonly appears in patients with diabetes and hypertension.
Our concept about this topic is different.
We at LIF say: “Sildenafil is not for all” because this medication will be delivered to the patients via a recipe and under medical control and supervision.
We consider that the expression “Viagra for all” may be used today because  exists a massive but incorrect use of Sildenafil. LIF proposes of a rational use.

Nowadays there is a recreational use by young adults although a lot of them don’t need this drug.

LIF delivered antibiotics to Concordia

On Wednesday, August 29 LIF provided 200.000 tablets of Amoxicillin 500 mg and 100.000 tablets of Cefalexin 500 mg to Concordia Town Hall.

LIF had already participated in the latest bid announced by Health Secretary of Concordia to buy different medicines. On this occasion, Santa Fe’s Laboratory had the best price for these two Beta-lactam tablets.

LIF’s main objective is to provide its medicines for primary healthcare in Santa Fe but for the past four years the Laboratory has provided medicines to other provinces (Misiones, Formosa and Río Negro), city governments (Bahía Blanca and Mar del Plata in the province of Buenos Aires; Concordia in Entre Ríos province) and REMEDIAR Program of the National Health Ministry.

LIF GOT 2012 RESEARCH GRANT

As in 2011, LIF got a research grant from the National Ministry of Health.
This grant is part of the Research Program “Ramón Carrillo – Arturo Oñativia” and it will be applied to research into different health topics.

On Friday, June 1, Engineer José Berardo (Planning Manager) attended the Medicine National Academy to receive the grant.

Such grants are an incentive for Argentine professionals to research in health and are delivered every year by the National Committee “Salud Investiga”.


LIF will focus research on: What is a doctor's opinion in Santa Fe as regards the public production of medicines ?



Antecedent: 2011 Research Grant
http://lifnews.blogspot.com.ar/2011/07/lif-got-research-grant.html

IMPORTANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN LIF AND PHARMACISTS’ COLLEGE

On May 22, LIF SE’s Directors Diego Bruno and Guillermo Cleti signed an important agreement of “Mutual collaboration and internship”.

The meeting took place at the Pharmacists’ College where LIF SE’s Directors met with the main authorities Damián Sudano (President), Alicia Caraballo (Vice-President), Claudio Morales (Secretary), and Adriana Cuello (Treasurer).

The main objective is to provide mutual assistance in pharmaceutical industrial education.  

The pharmacist intern is a graduate who is selected by LIF and College jointly for the purpose of gaining instruction and experience in the practice of pharmaceutical industry. This part time practice at LIF SE is part of a nine- month pedagogic program under the supervision and evaluation of both institutions.

LIF will deliver Paracetamol to the National Government

        On April 24, LIF will finish the provision of 9.500.000 Paracetamol 500 mg tablets to the national program REMEDIAR. These tablets will increase the stock of the program for this medicament.

It is important to remember that Paracetamol is one therapeutic option for the symptomatic treatment of dengue pathology.

REMEDIAR and LIF

Remediar Program is a national program that provides medicines to almost 7000 CAPS (Primary Health Centres) of Argentina.

From 2002 to 2011, the Remediar’s users were almost 15 million people.

During 2008 and 2009, LIF delivered four products to REMEDIAR:

In 2008, we delivered 10.171.560 drug units of one product: Cefalexin 500 mg. tablets. Medicine production grew 14% in comparison to 2007.

 In 2009, we delivered 50.000.000 drug units of four products: Cefalexin 250 mg  Powder for Oral Suspension; Cefalexin 500 mg; Amoxicillin 500 mg; Paracetamol 500 mg y Glibenclamida 5 mg. These last four products are tablets.

Public Production of Medicines’ Law

From June 2011, Argentina has a public production of medicines law.

This law was unanimously passed by the Argentine´s Senate. The research and public production of medicines, vaccines, medical device and drugs for production of medicines are declared of national interest. The law considers all these as common goods.

It proposes scientific and technology development through public laboratories.

Also, it promotes the research, the development and the production of orphan medicines.

The public laboratories can sign agreements with the universities to do quality control of medicines, vaccine and medical device.

LIF will produce Sildenafil

LIF is making research and development of Sildenafil syrup and tablets.

Syldenafil syrup is an orphan medicine used to treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)* of the newborn. This is developed with the Rosario’s National University, School of Sciences Biochemical and Pharmaceutical.

On the other hand LIF is working on the development of Sildenafil tablets used to treat erectile dysfunction.

* PAH is a rare disease with an incidence of about 2-3 per million per year and a prevalence of about 15 per million. Adult females are almost three times as likely to present with PAH as adult males. The presentation of IPAH within children is more evenly split along gender lines. (N. Rudarakanchana, R C Trembath, N. W. Morrel. New insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension)

LIF will deliver antibiotics to Misiones

On January 2012, LIF participated in the latest public tender announced by the Health Ministry of Misiones to buy different medicines.
The better tender price for Cefalexin 250 mg Powder for Oral Suspension; Cefalexin 500 mg and Amoxicillin 500 mg tablets was made by LIF.
On this occasion, LIF will deliver 30.000 bottles of Cefalexin 250 mg Powder for Oral Suspension; 420.000 tablets of Cefalexin 500 mg and 420.000 tablets of Amoxicillin 500 mg.




Nationwide
LIF produces mainly 38 drugs for primary healthcare in Santa Fe.
From 2008, LIF provided also different medicines to the National Health Ministry through the REMEDIAR program.
Medicines as: Cefalexin 250 mg Powder for Oral Suspension; Cefalexin 500 mg; Amoxicillin 500 mg; Paracetamol 500 mg y Glibenclamida 5 mg (these last four products were tablets) were delivered to each 7000 CAPS (Primary Health Centres) of the Remediar Program
On 2010, LIF delivered 100.000 Amoxicillin 500 mg tablets and 10.000 Amoxicillin 250 mg. powder for oral suspension for Río Negro’s Health Ministry (a province in Southern Argentina).
On October 2011, LIF delivered in time 70.000 tablets of Amoxicillin 500 mg when it participated in the latest public tender announced by the Health Secretary of Bahía Blanca to buy different medicines.

LIF delivered antibiotics to Bahía Blanca

On October 2011, LIF participated in the latest public tender announced by the Health Secretary of Bahía Blanca to buy different medicines.
The better tender price for Amoxicillin 500 mg tablets was made by LIF.
On this occasion, LIF delivered in time 70.000 tablets of Amoxicillin 500 mg for Bahía Blanca.

Nationwide
LIF produces mainly 38 drugs for primary healthcare in Santa Fe.
From 2008, LIF provided also different medicines to the National Health Ministry through the REMEDIAR program.
Medicines as: Cefalexin 250 mg Powder for Oral Suspension; Cefalexin 500 mg; Amoxicillin 500 mg; Paracetamol 500 mg y Glibenclamida 5 mg (these last four products were tablets) were delivered to each 7000 CAPS (Primary Health Centres) of the Remediar Program
On 2010, LIF delivered 100.000 Amoxicillin 500 mg tablets and 10.000 Amoxicillin 250 mg. powder for oral suspension for Río Negro’s Health Ministry (a province in Southern Argentina).

LIF PARTICIPATED IN A SEMINAR IN MISIONES

On October 13 and 14, the LIF SE’s Directors Carlos Arques, Daniel Salomón, the General Syndic Carlos Minatti and the General Manager Roberto Ganin, attended a seminar organized by the National Health Ministry through the Programa Nacional de Producción Pública de Medicamentos, Vacunas y Productos Médicos.
This meeting took place in Posadas, Misiones.
The members of the LIF talked about Medicine Management in the Public Production and then they gave information about LIF's growth in medicine production in the last four years.
After this informative talk, they participated in a workshop with all the audience.

LIF at the UNS in Bahía Blanca

On November 2nd, 2011, the LIF SE’s Directors Ing. Carlos Arques and Bioq. Diego Bruno, participated a conference organized by the students of Biología, Bioquímica and Farmacia of the Departamento de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. This meeting took place at the Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca.

The LIF’s Directors talked about State Medicine Production, they gave information about LIF of Santa Fe and they participated in a workshop with all students.

After conference, the LIF’s Directors met with the Rector of the UNS, Dr. Guillermo Héctor Crapiste; the Directors, Lic. Miguel Hugo Lliteras and Dra. Verónica Bucalá. They talked about the possibility of signing an agreement of “Collaboration and mutual assistance” with the Departamento de Ingeniería Química.