Health policy reforms advance in Mexico and Puerto Rico

In Mexico, Senator Emmanuel Reyes Carmona has expressed support for a reform to the General Health Law that would establish a National Registry of Rare Diseases. The initiative aims to improve data collection, strengthen research, and enhance sanitary planning to better serve patients with low-prevalence conditions. Legislators emphasized the need for guaranteed access to treatments and an expanded compendium of medications to reduce the financial burden on families.

In Puerto Rico, Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero has endorsed Senate Bill 687, which seeks to establish specific patient-to-nurse ratios in hospitals. While supporting the measure, Ramos Otero recommended amendments to account for patient complexity, nursing expertise, and resource availability. He noted that the law must clearly distinguish between clinical supervision and administrative roles to ensure that staffing patterns reflect actual direct patient care.