“People don’t even know”: AMLO minimizes cancellation of NOMs, including breast cancer

*Written by Berenice Chavarría Tenorio.

07.08.2023 /Cimac Noticias.com/ Mexico.- Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured that the cancellation of more than 30 Official Mexican Standards (NOM) among which are those directed to the care of cervical cancer and breast cancer, “ it is not really important”, despite the fact that organizations and patients have expressed their concern regarding care and prevention of these diseases.

During his morning press conference on June 6, López Obrador affirmed that the cancellation of the NOMs is an issue about which “people don’t even know” and is focused on a “dome of people involved in the drug trade.”

“I am not going here to do something big. Let it be clear to the people that we would not do anything that would harm them, ”she said.

To these statements that minimize the problem, the Red Nose association -which supports cancer patients in Mexico- accused that the president does not know what the NOMs imply and demanded respect from society.

“We invite you to get advice because you don’t even know anything about the cancellation of the regulations, it is not just talking about medicines, we are talking about the comprehensive care of many conditions that will remain in a vacuum, as an example, the first cause of death of women in Mexico : breast cancer, which by the way, with rules or without rules, they also left without care”, they sentenced through a message that they published on their social networks.

“There can be no quality medicine without laws or standards”

Although through a statement the Health Secretary reported that in Mexico “comprehensive medical care is provided without the need for a NOM”, the cancellation of these regulations is something worrisome, according to organizations and specialists.

For example, the College of the Medical Profession of the state of San Luis Potosí, explained that the NOMs “are an extraordinary guide for medical clinical practice,” adding that they were created “with great effort and review of many research papers.”

“Without them it is not possible to guarantee quality care for the Mexican population. There can be no quality medicine without laws or regulations”, expressed the people who make up the College.

For this reason, they urged the federal government to withdraw the decision to disappear the NOMs and, instead, update them in accordance with the evolution of technology and new drugs created to obtain better results in patients.

While the organizations that make up the Together Against Cancer Movement, asked the Ministry of Health for “dialogue spaces” in which they can express their concerns and that the corresponding authorities make known “what are the regulatory provisions in which the government The federal government will ensure approved comprehensive care for both the mentioned cancers and the other types of cancer for which there was no standard”.

The rules canceled

It was on June 1 when the cancellation of more than 30 Official Mexican Standards was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). In this sense, the canceled Regulations that had the health of women as their main objective are:

PROY-NOM-050-SSA2-2018, for the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding. Which provides that the competent authorities will establish guidance actions and institutional surveillance, training and promotion for breastfeeding.

NOM-035-SSA2-2012, for the prevention and control of diseases in the perimenopause and postmenopause of women. Criteria for providing medical care. That it had the effect of “providing comprehensive quality medical care, promoting a healthy lifestyle in women who are in perimenopause and postmenopause, so that by addressing risk factors, diseases that affect significantly in the quality of life of women in these stages of life”.

NAME-014-SSA2-1994, for the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, control and epidemiological surveillance of cervical cancer. Which forced institutions to “raise detection coverage and strengthen the productivity of services, as well as improve the quality of care provided in this area.” In addition to “uniforming the principles, policies, strategies and operating criteria”, all with a gender perspective.

NOM-041-SSA2-2011, for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, control and epidemiological surveillance of breast cancer. That its objective was to establish guidelines for the points mentioned in the Norm, to establish counseling and emotional accompaniment; promotion of behaviors favorable to health for the prevention of breast cancer, in addition to quality control and management in each public, private or social institution that makes up the National Health System.

The Federal Government highlights that the NOMs “are tools that allow the different government agencies to address and eliminate risks to the population,” which are based on scientific and technological information.

In addition, it adds that the Official Standards establish measures to ensure the quality, health and harmonization of the products and services that Mexicans purchase.

“The government is in charge of identifying risks, evaluating them, and issuing NOMs to prevent them,” he points out, so the cancellation of the previous regulations puts the health of Mexican society at risk, specifically women.

Breast and cervical cancer, dangerous conditions in Mexico

According to the National Institute of Cancerology (Incan), in Mexico, breast cancer is the type of cancer with the highest incidence. In 2020 (when the pandemic reached the national territory) a total of 29,929 cases were registered. In addition, there were 7,931 deaths.

On the other hand, data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) indicate that, in 2021, 7,925 women lost their lives due to breast cancer. Most of them were 60 years of age or older, with a rate of 48.24 deaths for every 100,000 women between 20 and 59 years of age. This means that breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women with a malignant tumor, who do not receive adequate care and are rarely able to detect it on time.

On the other hand, when talking about cervical cancer, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) highlights that this condition causes 10,000 new cases per year and is responsible for 5,000 to 5,500 deaths per year. When detected in its early stages, it can be cured in 90 percent of cases.

Even in our country, the government decided to establish the National Day of the Fight against Cervical Cancer, the second most prevalent cancer in Mexican women, with which it acquired more than ever the responsibility of providing women with access to preventive health services. , in addition to raising awareness and coordinating efforts at all levels against this disease.