. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/ARG/100
22 May 2003
(03-2743)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  ARGENTINA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Health
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   Idem  National
enquiry point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwis e national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Medicines
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Regulations to the
Law on the Promotion of the Use of Medicines under their Generic Names, No. 25.649
(7 pages, in Spanish)
6. Description of content:   Regulations to the Law on the Promotion of the Use of Medicines
under their Generic Names, No.25.649.  All medical prescriptions are required to refer to a
medicine by its generic name or international non-proprietary name, followed by thepharmaceutical form and dosage/unit, including details on the concentration level.  The
doctor and dentist's freedom of prescription must be made compatible with the patient's
right to both freedom of choice and adequate information.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To facilitate access to medicines, thereby contributing to the defence of consumer
rights, and to allow the population to freely choose from the various medicinal preparations
currently on the market.
8. Relevant documents:   Decree No. 987/2003
9. Proposed date of adoption:  29 April 2003 (Official Journal)
Proposed date of entry into force:  6 May 2003
10. Final date for comments:   -G/TBT/N/ARG/100
Page 2
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Punto Focal de la República Argentina
Dirección Nacional de Comercio Interior (DNCI)
Avda. J.A. Roca 651, Piso 4°, Sector 22 (1322), Buenos AiresFax:                54 11 4349 4072
Telephone:     54 11 4349 4067
E-mail:           focalotc@mecon.gov.ar
Website:         http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar