France Strengthens its Role in Mexico’s Healthcare Market

Q: What were the main results of last year’s French Healthcare Day and how did it influence your actions in Mexico?

A: Last year’s French Health Care Day had the strongest impact in years, particularly with the presence of the Federal ministrer Dr. Kershenobich and Ministries of Health from the State of Mexico and Aguascalientes, as well as the support of FundSalud. We worked with many companies in the health sector that are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We are now working to ensure that these companies, which have very specific products for mass events and the prevention of public health risks during large-scale events, can be present in the Mexican market.

Q: What are the main considerations for ensuring health and safety when hosting large-scale international events, and how can French companies contribute?

A: When hosting events, many focus on accommodation or entertainment, but it is also important to consider mobility within cities and healthcare. Ultimately, Mexico will be receiving a large number of people, and not all of them will be in perfect health.

Organizing large-scale events carries risks regarding the health and safety of all attendees. French companies with expertise in large events such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cups can help. For example, we work with a French company called Homepage - SERB Pharmaceuticals, which specializes in antivenoms. Companies like these represent an area where France can make a difference for Mexico by providing these niche companies with significant expertise, along with data to support decision making regarding the quantity of products needed for such events, which is often difficult to estimate.

Q: How are recent dialogues between French and Mexican institutions influencing regulatory or procedural improvements?

A: Regulations are improving compared the last years. The key factor was maintaining an open communication channel at the institutional level, both with the Ministry of Health and with other institutions such as COFEPRIS. The regulatory process for companies wishing to enter the Mexican market often raises questions. We have allies within the Franco-Mexican health ecosystem who can provide guidance on estimated timelines and costs for sanitary registrations based on the category of products, whether pharmaceuticals or medical devices.

We also have the French Healthcare Club for French health companies. This is an initiative of the French Ministry of Health in which local subsidiaries or importers participate to share best practices. In recent years, we have worked closely with COFEPRIS to highlight important issues related to public health and accessibility. French companies have been receiving excellent responses from these efforts, which generates certainty for companies in Mexico and enables business development in Latin America.

Q: What challenges does the embassy face in identifying healthcare opportunities in Mexico, and how do you use data to guide French companies’ investments?

A: One of the main challenges is finding reliable data to identify market opportunities or population needs that can be used to attract the attention of French companies. As a government agency, our objective is to consolidate the international presence of our economy. Therefore, we constantly work with professional associations and our network allies to identify areas of need. For example, it is clear that there are very specific needs associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We also consider reports from INEGI and the Ministry of Health regarding which pathologies most impact the Mexican population or the needs for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

This year’s French Healthcare Day will focus on health and innovation to address complementary thematic areas. Mental health has also become increasingly relevant after the pandemic. We recently met with FundSalud to discuss opportunities in the field. Gathering and consolidating this information is a challenge for the industry. FundSalud is performing this work, providing elements that embassies can use as commercial services to better promote Mexico.

Q: What lessons from France’s ecosystem of health innovation could be relevant for Mexico as it seeks to foster a more connected and innovation-driven healthcare environment?

A: Clusters, such as the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster in the Paris region, allow representatives from the industrial sector, universities, government, and patients to meet in one location to test innovations in both medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Mexico has formalized the concept of clusters over the past two years. There are clusters in clusters in the states of jalisco, Guanajuato and Baja California. Ultimately, both countries can learn from each other, which is why we are organizing the French Healthcare Day event: to open a dialogue between France and Mexico, share perspectives, and learn from one another.

Q: How is Business France ensuring that French SMEs in the healthcare sector can find viable, long-term opportunities in the Mexican market?

A: Mexico has one of our 13 French Healthcare Club worldwide, and it is one of the biggest and most active, with more than 50 members. Business France primarily focuses on SMEs, making our experienced team available to them. These companies truly need the support of our team to establish themselves more quickly and effectively in the Mexican market, saving them significant expenses and time.

We measure our impact through contracts and success stories. Our goal is to increase the presence of French companies in the Mexican market, particularly in the health, agribusiness, technology and services, aerospace, cleantech, and infrastructure sectors.

Q: What key indicators or milestones would you consider as signs of success in strengthening the France-Mexico collaboration in health and wellness?

A: Many international and Mexican laboratories are expanding plants or launching products. This generates significant certainty for other companies. We hope that, thanks to these announcements and new reports based on reliable data, we can attract more companies to the country. Many businesses initially work through importers and distributors and later establish local subsidiaries. However, the possibility of establishing a plant, considering nearshoring, to serve the Mexican market directly is not excluded. This is particularly exciting because next year marks the bicentennial celebration of France-Mexico relations.

The French community in Mexico is the largest in Latin America in terms of population, reflecting France’s social and economic interests in Mexico. Many French nationals establish their own businesses here, and it is clear that Mexico is a priority for the French government. We have an active ambassador, and the second half of the year promises a full schedule of business and cultural events.

It is important to note that we also work for Mexican companies looking to invest in France and we have a team of experts capable of recommending the best approach and region to start with your project. We have a lot of subsidiaries for innovative companies, in particular in Healthcare.

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Business France is the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy.