Birmex hires a company observed by the ASF

On September 26, the Mexican Biological and Reagent Laboratory ( Birmex ) directly awarded a contract to Médica Farma Arcar to deliver medications to IMSS-Bienestar units in nine states.

The decision caused controversy, as the company was flagged by the Federal Audit Office (ASF) on February 5, 2025, for failing to certify the delivery of medicines, vaccines, and supplies to 368 hospitals, warehouses, and boroughs during 2023, resulting in potential damage to the treasury.

Despite this, Birmex signed contract BIRMEX-066/2025 for 73 million 279 thousand pesos, which covers distribution in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Sonora, Hidalgo, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Mexico City and the State of Mexico .

Médica Farma Arcar was one of the main beneficiaries in 2021, when the federal government accused traditional distributors of corruption. That year, it obtained contracts worth approximately 2.5 billion pesos, almost the same amount as the previous decade.

The ASF found that in 2023, Birmex paid the company 25,760,000 pesos without proof of delivery of medicines, vaccines, and supplies. It also found payments of 17,417,000 pesos without packing lists, receipts, or order forms, and another 8,343,000 pesos without proof of delivery.

Although the company had the opportunity to submit supporting documentation in May 2024, it failed to do so. Therefore, the ASF initiated two administrative sanctioning proceedings so that Birmex's Internal Control Body could investigate the officials who authorized 14 tax receipts without verifying the deliverables established in the contract .

CT