Héctor Bolaños Varela, Executive Director, Mexican Association of Nonprescription Medicines, Mexico City, Mexico
I got a BA on Business Administration at the Universidad Iberaomericana in Mexico City. Currently, I am the Executive Director of the Mexican Association of Nonprescription Medicines (AFAMELA). I have been in this position for the last 22 years. I am also member of the Board of Directors of the World Self-Medication Industry (WSMI), a federation that groups 50 nonprescription associations around the world. I was founder and Director General of the Latin American Association of Nonprescription Medicines (ILAR).
My experience in the pharmaceutical industry covers the Rx sector too as the first companies I worked for (Ciba-Geigy, Syntex, Rhone-Poulenc) did not have OTC drugs. My experience in the OTC sector come from my work in a medium Mexican company and in American Home Products. I both RX and OTC sectors I held different positions in marketing, business development and regulatory affairs. I also worked as Consultant for several pharmaceutical companies and participated in the Agency for International Development (AID) PRITECH Project in Mexico as Marketing Consultant. During the years I acted as ILAR General Director I attended several World Health Organization / Pan American Health Organization Assemblies and Executive Committee Meetings.