Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies: lessons learnt and perspectives for Brazil

Abstract

The special series “Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies” published throughout 2022, was organised by invitation of the Brazilian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy and Health Services, to characterise medicines pricing and reimbursement in Brazil and other countries and discuss implementation, effects, gaps and opportunities for improvement. The series included an editorial, a perspective on the Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies (PPRI) network and eight country case studies, namely Austria, Brazil, Greece, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom, Portugal and the United States. In closing the series, an overview is presented, as well as a critical appraisal of how aspects such as innovation, access, health litigation, the importance of international cooperation and networking are producing advances or setbacks for country pharmaceutical regulation, pricing and reimbursement, and in-place health technology assessment. This article also highlights the scenario in Brazil, with recent developments in pharmaceutical policies approaching medicines pricing, incorporation (reimbursement), access, and expenditure, at the same time introducing arguments that show how these same issues may intertwine with planning and budgets, straining sustainability and threatening the concept of comprehensiveness adopted by the Unified Health System. New perspectives for strengthening of pharmaceutical regulation, pricing and reimbursement policies with a life-cycle approach, aiming for improving access to essential medicines, stimulating innovation and ensuring sustainability of the health system are needed. Experiences in the series´ case studies are examples of benchmarking and best practices, opportunities for increasing collaboration and sources of inspiration.