The public production of medicines in Brazil

Abstract The paper aims to contribute as a reflection on the public production of medicines in Brazil. Public producers present themselves as strategic in Brazil, either as price regulators, in meeting the demands of the Ministry of Health (MoH) on neglected products and those at risk of shortage to SUS. The study used the official bases of the MoH, National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and Website of Official Pharmaceutical Laboratories (OPL). Thirty-three OPL were identified, 16 with active production of drug registration at ANVISA. For the remaining 17 LFOs, no one identified active portfolio in the bases surveyed. There are 80% of the OPL portfolio concentrated in the first level of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification, such as alimentary tract and metabolism, blood and blood forming organs, cardiovascular system, anti-infective for systemic use and nervous system. The OPL participation in the health complex is 48.6% of its portfolio dedicated to the strategic component, 30.6% for primary care and 20.7% for the specialized. It concludes the relevance of the OPL for the Brazilian health policy, with the better realignment of their potential in the face of technological advancement, health legislation, drug dependence and new treatment protocols.