The Mexican National Antitrust Commission (CNA) has imposed severe financial penalties totaling 59.6 million pesos—approximately USD 3.46 million—against four companies and six individuals for colluding in public tenders for radiography materials. According to the regulatory body, the sanctioned parties engaged in anti-competitive behavior by exchanging highly sensitive market information and coordinating their bidding strategies for public contracts. This illegal conduct, which spanned more than six years between October 2010 and December 2016, actively distorted the market for essential medical supplies.
The antitrust watchdog emphasized that monitoring essential supply chains remains a top strategic priority, particularly within the healthcare sector where market failures directly drain public funds and compromise the quality of patient care. In this case, the collusion directly targeted the public healthcare system, which heavily relies on diagnostic tools like X-rays. To illustrate the scale of the sector affected, institutions like the IMSS and ISSSTE conducted more than 20 million radiodiagnostic studies between 2024 and 2025 alone, serving roughly 15 million citizens. Radiographs are a vital diagnostic resource, particularly in remote regions where access to specialized medical services is severely limited.
The CNA reiterated its institutional commitment to identifying and punishing cartels that restrict free market competition, especially in sectors where effective competition is required to ensure public resources successfully meet their social objectives. While the sanctioned economic agents retain the legal right to appeal the decision before specialized tribunals, the Commission is moving forward with transparency measures. Public versions of the official rulings will be uploaded to the CNA’s Resolutions and Opinions Portal, in strict compliance with the regulatory provisions outlined in the Federal Economic Competition Law.
