Costs of Public Pharmaceutical Services in Rio de Janeiro Compared to Farmácia Popular Program

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública 2016-01, Vol.50, p.74-74
• Main Authors: Silva, Rondineli Mendes da, Caetano, Rosângela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assistência Farmacêutica, economia; Brazil; Community Pharmacy Services - economics; Community Pharmacy Services - supply & distribution; Costs and Cost Analysis; Custos de Medicamentos; Custos e Análise de Custo; Drugs, Essential - supply & distribution; Economia da Saúde; Health Expenditures; Humans; Medicamentos Essenciais, provisão & distribuição; National Health Programs; Original; Pharmaceutical Services - economics; Pharmaceutical Services - supply & distribution; Política Nacional de Assistência Farmacêutica; Public Sector; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; SOCIOLOGY
• ISSN: 0034-8910; 1518-8787; 1518-8787; 0034-8910
• DOI: 10.1590/S1518-8787.2016050006605

To analyze the costs of public pharmaceutical services compared to Farmácia Popular Program (Popular Pharmacy Program). Comparison between prices paid by Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular Program (Farmácia Popular is available here) with the full costs of medicine provision by the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro. The comparison comprised 25 medicines supplied by both the municipal pharmaceutical service and Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular Program. Calculating the cost per pharmaceutical unit of each medicine included expenditure by Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro with procurement (price), logistics, and local dispensation. The reference price of medicines paid by Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular was taken from the Brazilian Ministry of Health standard in force in 2012. Comparisons included full reference price; reference price minus 10.0% copayment by users; and maximum reference paid by the Ministry of Health (minus copayment and taxes). Simulations were carried out of the differences between the costs of Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro with the common medicines and those potentially incurred based on the reference price of Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular. The Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro spent R$28,526,526.57 with 25 medicines of the common list in 2012; 58.7% accounted for direct procurement costs. The estimated costs of the Health Department were generally lower than the reference prices of the Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular Program for 20 medicines, regardless of reference prices. The potential costs incurred by Health Department if expenditure of its consumption pattern were based on the reference prices of Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular would be R$124,170,777.76, considering the best scenario of payment by the Brazilian Ministry of Health (90.0% of the reference price, minus taxes). The difference in costs between public provision by Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro and Farmácia Popular Program indicates that some reference prices could be reviewed aiming at their reduction. Analisar custos da assistência farmacêutica pública frente ao Programa Farmácia Popular. Comparação entre os valores pagos pelo Programa Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular com os custos integrais relativos à provisão de medicamentos pela Secretaria Municipal de Saúde do Rio de Janeiro. A comparação compreendeu 25 medicamentos, comuns tanto à provisão pela assistência farmacêutica pública municipal quanto pelo Programa Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular. O cálcul