Ações judiciais e incorporação de medicamentos ao SUS: a atuação da Conitec

Drugs for rheumatoid arthritis provided by the Unified Health System in 2019 in Brazil: a cohort study

This study analyzes supply characteristics and factors associated with the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in Brazil, with a focus on disease course-modifying biological drugs (bioDMARDs). A retrospective study was conducted with secondary data from the Outpatient Information System of the Unified Health System. Patients aged 16 years or older who were treated in 2019 were eligible. The analyses were performed with exposure factors in relation to the outcomes: bioDMARD use and population size. The study included 155,679 patients, 84.6% of whom were women. There was a greater exchange of bioDMARDs and a greater supply of rheumatologists in the larger municipalities (more than 500,000 inhabitants). Almost 40% of the patients used bioDMARDs, and they showed greater adherence to treatment (57.0% versus 64%, p=0.001). The dispensing of bioDMARDs occurred in more than one-third of the patients treated for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Brazil and was associated with a higher percentage of availability of rheumatologists and larger population size.

O perfil das tecnologias em saúde incorporadas no SUS de 2012 a 2019: quem são os principais demandantes?

RESUMO As tecnologias em saúde têm revolucionado a assistência médica e a gestão em saúde. A Comissão Nacional de Incorporação de Tecnologias no SUS (Conitec) é o órgão do Ministério da Saúde que assessora na incorporação, exclusão ou alteração de novas tecnologias no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). O presente estudo objetivou descrever o perfil das tecnologias incorporadas no SUS de 1 de janeiro de 2012 a 30 de setembro de 2019. Os dados foram coletados no site da Conitec. Na análise estatística, foi utilizado o teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson e o Teste Exato de Fisher. Os resultados demonstram que foram incorporadas 380 tecnologias, prevalecendo os medicamentos (46,6%). Em relação aos demandantes, os de origem interna superaram os demais (82,4%), principalmente secretarias do Ministério da Saúde (p<0,001). As Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias (DIPs) foram as mais beneficiadas (20,3%), com destaque para o HIV (Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana). A maioria das tecnologias incorporadas passou por consulta pública (p<0,001). Conclui-se que o perfil das tecnologias incorporadas são principalmente medicamentos, por demanda interna, com indicação para DIPs e, sobretudo para o HIV. Os medicamentos continuam sendo o foco das solicitações e as demandas internas passaram a ter mais espaço nesse cenário.

[Judicialization of access to medicines: analysis of lawsuits in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil]

This study aimed to analyze the lawsuits demanding access to medicines in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, from 2013 to 2017, describing their sociodemographic, legal, and medical/health characteristics. This was a descriptive study in which the unit of analysis was the individual judicial process for requesting medicines in which the state was the defendant. The data were obtained by consulting the website of the Rio Grande do Norte Court of Justice. A total of 987 suits were analyzed, in which the majority of the plaintiffs were females (58.8%), with a mean age of 48.3 years, and residing in the state's interior (56.9%). The legal aid was predominantly public (52.8%), and 38.1% of the prescriptions originated in the private healthcare sector. Access to the medicines was obtained in 68% of the cases, and the plaintiff was responsible for the purchase in 56.1%, via attachment of public funds. Chronic noncommunicable diseases predominated, as did demands for medicines not supplied by the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). A total of 1,517 medicines were requested, of which 936 (61.7%) were not on the National List of Essential Medicines (Rename). The most frequently demanded drug was insulin glargine (74 case). Of the 10 medicines with the most lawsuits, four were later incorporated by the SUS, featuring insulin analogues. The results showed that legal recourse has been consolidated as a form of access to medicines that have still not been incorporated by the SUS, which can contribute as a form of pressure for such incorporation. The attachment of public funds to comply with these rulings is worrisome for the administration of the SUS, since it jeopardizes the execution of regularly scheduled and budgeted policies in pharmaceutical assistance.

Hospital-based health technology assessment in Brazil: current experiences and challenges

In Brazil, there is no consensus on the concept of hospital-based health technology assessment (HB-HTA). There is great variability in the existing models and difficulty in evaluating their results—whether in respect of clinical decisions, quality of care, and hospital policy and management or in respect of optimizing the use of resources. This study aims to discuss the experiences of HB-HTA, its integration into the regulatory system for the adoption of new technologies into the Brazilian public (SUS) (Unified Health System), and its main challenges. During a workshop, a panel of specialists in HTA and/or HB-HTA was formed, representative of four different perspectives: (i) Health services and health technology assessment units, (ii) Academia, (iii) Secretary of State for Health, and (iv) the Federal SUS sector. This was followed by discussion, a preliminary consensus, contributions from the audience, a plenary session, and a final consensus. HB-HTA is not institutionalized, nor is it part of the regulation system for the adoption of new technologies in the SUS. The main challenges are the difficulties in creating qualified teams, financial support, and sustainability. The work of these bodies in respect of the evaluation of new technologies deserves further studies analyzing the relationship between the pressure for adoption from the hospital team and industry professionals and legal rulings. It is necessary to strengthen HB-HTA culture and implement this policy in hospital management, making assessment bodies a part of managerial and decision-making processes in hospitals, and develop regional collaborative networks and a national network of HTA.

Falhas na gestão da Assistência Farmacêutica para Medicamentos Judicializados, em 16 municípios da região Sudeste brasileira

RESUMO Desde a década de 1990, as solicitações de medicamentos por via judicial vêm se intensificando. Vários estudos têm traçado o panorama destas demandas. Buscou-se descrever a existência de organização própria da gestão da Assistência Farmacêutica (AF) Municipal para o atendimento de medicamentos demandados judicialmente. Um conjunto de 16 municípios incluiu 4 de cada estado da região Sudeste brasileira. Para a descrição do perfil da gestão da AF, foi estruturada uma matriz de indicadores que contemplou suas dimensões de recursos humanos, financeiros e suas atividades. Em nove municípios, a gestão dos medicamentos solicitados por via judicial coube ao gestor local da AF. Os indicadores com os piores desempenhos em todas as respostas foram aqueles que versaram sobre as despesas com Medicamentos Judicializados. Somente seis gestores informaram que realizavam análise técnica das prescrições e contato regular com o judiciário. Em sete municípios, os gestores não souberam especificar a modalidade de aquisição dos medicamentos demandados. A gestão municipal tem papel preponderante sobre a gestão da AF e precisa ser revista, havendo a necessidade de amplo questionamento a respeito do seu papel e de eventuais mudanças pelas quais possa passar.