Pharmacies will have a 30-day period to comply with the regulations. The measure aims to improve transparency
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The presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, announced that the Ministry of Health, together with the Secretariat of Industry and Commerce, will launch a new digital system to access the complete list of medication prices in pharmacies.
Based on a resolution that will be published in the Official Gazette, it will be mandatory to display a QR code at all points of sale.
Digital access to medication prices
During his usual press conference, Adorni explained that this measure will allow citizens to check prices from their cell phones without the need to stand in line or ask at the counter. Additionally, the tool will be complemented with information about PAMI, social security, and prepaid discounts.
"It's essential for people to have all the necessary information to choose the most convenient option," the spokesperson emphasized. He also recalled that the Ministry had already launched a web search engine for medication prices, and that the implementation of the QR code aims to further facilitate access to this information.
How the new pricing system will work
Pharmacies will have a 30-day period to comply with the regulation, which will apply to both commercial and mutual and union pharmacies.
El Gobierno obligará a las farmacias a exhibir el precio de los medicamentos con QR
The QR code will be on a sign with the phrase "Check the medication price list here" and must be placed in a visible location within the establishment. By scanning it, users will be able to access the list of medication prices available at that point of sale.
The Government highlights that the measure seeks to reduce inequalities in access to information, promoting transparency and freedom of choice within the pharmaceutical market.
Three pillars of the new system: transparency, freedom of choice, and modernization
The resolution is based on three key principles:
Transparency: ensuring that citizens access information without intermediaries.
Freedom of choice: allowing price comparison at different points of sale.
Modernization: facilitating the digitization of access to medications in Argentina.
Inspections and compliance controls
El Gobierno obligará a las farmacias a exhibir el precio de los medicamentos con QR
Once the regulation is implemented, the Secretariat of Industry and Commerce will carry out a verification stage and inspections to ensure that all pharmacies comply with the display of the QR code.
Furthermore, the resolution is supported by Resolution No. 4/2025, which establishes that the display of prices must be clear, visible, and accessible to consumers, whether in physical or digital format.
Impact on access to medications
The Ministry of Health explained that the QR requirement not only facilitates access to information, but also eliminates price asymmetries between pharmacies. By publicly exposing the values, a more equitable market is promoted, providing greater predictability to consumers.
This system is integrated into a plan for the digitization of the healthcare system, which will include future updates to consolidate a common technological infrastructure between pharmacies and other health services.
A measure to improve information and accessibility to medications
The implementation of QR codes in pharmacies represents progress in the digitization of access to medications. The initiative seeks to simplify price consultation, improve transparency, and ensure that all citizens can make informed decisions about their health.
With controls and oversight underway, the Government is betting that this tool will have a positive impact on access and regulation of the pharmaceutical market.
