COFEPRIS and INSP Sign Strategic Agreement to Strengthen Public Health

COFEPRIS continues to advance in its international evaluation for future integration into the WHO's list of reference regulatory authorities, according to the GBT model criteria established in the Mexico Plan. This process is considered strategic for global and regional cooperation in health regulation. In turn, Eduardo Lazcano highlighted the scientific productivity of the INSP and its leadership in Mexico and Latin America. The agreement was formalized by Armida Zúñiga Estrada, head of COFEPRIS, and Eduardo Lazcano Ponce, director of the INSP, during the Second National Meeting of the Federal Health System and National Quality Encounter, which brought together the 32 state heads of COFEPRIS and the 32 officials responsible for the State Public Health Laboratories. The meeting took place at the facilities of the Analytical Center and Coverage Expansion (CCAYAC), where the head of COFEPRIS emphasized that one of the central components of the agreement is human resource development, with a priority on the training, specialization, and updating of professional, technical, and auxiliary personnel. She noted that these modifications aim to align Mexican regulation with international standards in order to respond to emerging health challenges and consolidate regulatory criteria comparable to the best models on the continent. Operationally, it was highlighted that the Federal Health System has carried out more than 260,000 verifications and 230,000 analytical determinations in water and food samples, reflecting sustained performance and broad territorial presence. It was detailed that these actions will be accompanied by specialized advisory services with a strong focus on health risk prevention and management, considered a pillar for strengthening national regulation. During the review of COFEPRIS's activities in 2025, Armida Zúñiga presented updates to regulations related to products and services, health supplies, pesticides, psychotropic substances, and the institution's own internal framework. The COFEPRIS-INSP cooperation promotes specialized training and regulatory updates. The signing of a strategic agreement between the Federal Commission for the Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) and the National Public Health Institute (INSP) consolidated an inter-institutional effort aimed at strengthening research, training, and technical cooperation in the area of health risk protection, a key axis considered crucial for Mexico's public health policy. It was also specified that 14 state areas for health risk protection are already ISO 9001 certified, while another five are in the process of obtaining it, a relevant indicator of progress in quality standards. The recognition granted by the Pan American and World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) to the Mexican model, valued as a benchmark in Latin America, was also emphasized. It was highlighted that the institute houses the National School of Public Health, with 103 years of history, which will reinforce the implementation of the agreement through a robust alliance oriented to continuous training and the development of specialized competencies. The event was attended by Rosa Aurora Azamar, General Coordinator of the Federal Health System; Yamila Comes, Advisor on Health Services and Systems of PAHO/WHO Mexico; and Imelda Rocío Guzmán Cervantes, commissioner of CCAYAC, who accompanied the presentation of the agreement in a context of institutional strengthening and federal technical cooperation.