South America: Consumer Protection

Chile's Public Health Institute has opened a public consultation on updated guidance for its National Technovigilance System, establishing comprehensive post-market surveillance requirements for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics. The framework introduces stringent obligations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors, including mandatory technovigilance officer appointments, incident reporting timelines, and field safety corrective action protocols.

El Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile ha sometido a consulta pública una nueva Guía del Sistema Nacional de Tecnovigilancia que actualizará los estándares de vigilancia post-comercialización para dispositivos médicos. La guía establece obligaciones específicas para fabricantes, importadores y distribuidores, incluyendo la designación de responsables, sistemas de notificación y gestión de eventos adversos. ¿Cómo impactarán estos nuev

Four Brazilian federal authorities have jointly convened a public hearing to address the sale of counterfeit and irregular products through digital platforms, signaling a shift toward regulatory proposals for the digital marketplace. The hearing will examine critical issues including platform liability, product verification mechanisms, consumer protection, and cooperation frameworks between platforms, regulators, and rights holders.

Brazil's National Data Protection Authority has imposed a substantial fine on ByteDance for processing children's and adolescents' personal data without proper legal basis under the LGPD. The decision mandates implementation of enhanced privacy protections and parental controls, reflecting the country's evolving regulatory framework for protecting minors in digital environments.

Chile's new Law No. 21,838 establishes comprehensive rules for technology and knowledge transfer between academic institutions and commercial entities, creating pathways for universities to license technologies and form science-based companies. The legislation addresses intellectual property rights, benefit distribution, and transparency requirements while promoting open access to publicly-funded research through a national repository managed by ANID.

Brazil's Data Protection Agency has issued new guidelines establishing deadlines and requirements for transparency reports under the Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents. The first reports must be published by September 17, 2026, covering data from platforms with over one million users under 18 years old.

Law 543 of 2026 introduces new obligations for supermarkets, retail stores, and other commercial establishments in Panama regarding the identification of the origin and nature of food products offered to consumers.

A federal court in New Mexico has granted a preliminary injunction against the state's PFAS labeling rule for consumer products, finding that the regulation likely violates constitutional protections for commercial speech. The court questioned whether the state's characterization of the label as a "consumer awareness" measure rather than a warning undermines the connection between New Mexico's stated health and environmental interests and the means used to achieve them.

Chile's Ministry of Economy has published a new regulation replacing the 2012 framework for credit card consumer information, introducing mandatory templates, enhanced disclosure requirements, and digital payment interface standards. The regulation aims to improve financial transparency and consumer understanding while requiring issuers to adapt their systems and documentation by February 2028.

Law 543 of 2026 introduces new obligations for supermarkets, retail stores, and other commercial establishments in Panama regarding the identification of the origin and nature of food products offered to consumers.

Could the California Superior Court verdict have an unpredictable impact on Big Tech's business model in Brazil?

El marco normativo en materia de protección al consumidor en México continúa en constante evolución. El 12 de diciembre de 2025, se publicó en el Diario Oficial de la Federación...