Trade deficit increases biological

Study produced by FarmaBrasil Group (GFB), which brings together major Brazilian pharmaceutical investment in innovation, shows that the importation of biological medicinal products grew more than five times in the last decade, to nearly $ 2 billion. In 2015, these products accounted for just under a third of the industry''s trade deficit of $ 6.6 billion.
Until 2005, the accounted for 12% of the biological balance negative. Last year, had participation of 28.6%, reflecting the expansion of the purchase of medicines by the unified health system (SUS). "How are expensive and imported biological, there was a very large increase in deficit. And this trend is increasing, not on time, "says the President of the GFB, Reginaldo Arcuri.
The trend is drawn by the rapid aging of the brazilian population, with growing participation of elderly on the total and highest proportion of age-related diseases. Thus, vaccination and paediatric treatment costs should be relatively minor, with proportional increase of expenditures with treatment of mature population. "It is precisely in this that Act the biological" says Arcuri.
According to the study, between 2000 and 2005, the trade deficit with Biologics was $ 200,000,000 per year on average. From 2006 to 2010, jumped to $ 800,000,000 and, from 2011, grew significantly to reach the peak of $ 2.1 billion in 2014. Last year, fell to $ 1.9 billion in the wake of the devaluation of the Brazilian real and the deceleration of the brazilian economy.
To mitigate the increase in health costs and, at the same time broaden the access to medical treatment, the Government has developed a policy of productive development partnerships (PDPs), for the development and production of medicines to strategic SUS. As the GFB, the Ministry of Health estimates that projects conducted through PDPs should generate savings of r $ 5 billion even in 2016.
Through these partnerships, the national pharmaceutical industry will start producing Biosimilar on a larger scale in the country. As a result, the trade deficit should stop growing-with external purchases under medicines of high complexity-and drug exports would increase. But the political crisis and exchanges on health team are delaying, or even paralyzed, some projects.
For the research-based pharmaceutical industry association (Interfarma), which brings together the multinational laboratories, the advancement of the industry''s deficit is a sign that the country is losing the race for international competitiveness in the sector. "Without innovation, we are doomed to the technological and economic dependence," said in a statement the entity''s Chief Executive, Antonio Britto.
Investments in Biosimilar can provide temporary reduction of negative balance, but there is risk of launching new drugs become obsolete the products in use. "We need to say that Brazil has become responsible for the creation of innovative technologies in the pharmaceutical industry which are attractive world," says the Manager.