People''s Pharmacy has guaranteed continuity and perspective of expansion

São Paulo-After a series of uncertainties about the continuity of the Popular Pharmacy program, the Ministry of health ensures that he should follow and be expanded in the coming years. The prospect for the future is to increase the list of medicinal products offered and the number of accredited stores.
"Today is very clear to the Government that apart from continuing, he wants to improve the initiative," he said in an interview with the DCI Program Manager, Melissa Borges de Farias. According to her, the R$ budget 3.2 billion planned for this year, only $ 2 billion was spent. "We''re up with leftover money, he went over to another area. As we had to reduce the value of reference, we can optimize our resources, "he says.
Despite the prospect of expanding the number of medicines, Melissa points out that there''s no guarantee that it will happen next year. "The certainty is that we will resume the accreditations and enlarge the number of pharmacies members," he says. Since January this year the accession for new drug stores are closed.
In relation to the budget for 2017, the representative of the Ministry of health says that the value sent to the Congress was 2% higher than this year, to 3.2 billion R$. "He is not yet guaranteed, needs to be approved by the National Congress. But the possibility of adoption is very large, "says Melissa.
The initiative, which emerged in 2004 in order to expand access to medicines considered essential, today works on two fronts: by the networks own the program, and through partnerships with private sector pharmacies (called '' here''s Popular Pharmacy ''). In the first section are offered 113 items, some with 90% discount and other free, while private networks only 25 products are included.
In relation to the number of stores, part 540 own networks today, and drugstores 34,681 accredited. According to the Chief Executive of Brazilian Association of Pharmacies and Drugstores (Abrafarma), Sergio Mena Barreto, all 27 member companies to the entity are accredited to the programme. Already in number of units, of 6,180 operations, about 4,800 of the Pharmacy Popular.
This is because, according to him, by a delay in the process of accreditation of new stores, which generally occurs only once a year. "This process should be faster, especially if your company already is part of the program. For these networks, the inclusion of new branches should even be done automatically, "said Barreto.
Another election of the Executive is about the most effective surveillance, in order to prevent fraud. To him, the establishment of gratuity for medicines for hypertension, diabetes and asthma, has opened a greater chance for this type of action. "When the customer has to pay the 10%, that inhibits the fraud. When you do not have to give the stimulus contribution is much greater. "
The program manager, Melissa, claims that in fact there are cases of fraud, both by the customer and own pharmacies, but the Government does steady work in order to mitigate the most of this type of conduct.
Barreto also highlights that the universality of the show is another point that deserves questioning. "I''d have to review the principle of it. Or focus only on patients from SUS, or charge a larger percentage who''s private network, "he says, adding that in this way would it be possible to expand the categories and expand access for those who really need the program.
Participation in the industry
According to Barreto, the participation of Popular Pharmacy sales in the total turnover of the networks is still very low, Abrafarma and represents only 1.72% of the whole.
Since the creation of the initiative points out, this percentage was always below 2%. "It''s a very low value compared to countries in Europe, for example, where about 80% of all prescription drugs sold in pharmacies are paid by the Government," he said.
When it comes to independent and associative networks, however, this value is relatively greater. According to the President of the Brazilian Federation of Associative and independent Networks of Pharmacies (Febrafar), Edison Tamascia, the slice that sales of the Popular Pharmacy has today in the total turnover of the entity stores revolves around 5%. "It''s a relevant value," he says. "In addition, the program brings into our stores a new consumer, who may not spend too much, but you''re able to buy other products", points.
According to the Executive, of 9,334 drugstores associated with the entity, about 4000 are accredited. About expansion in the number of medications, he says it would be great for the industry.