Irene Lôbo and André Deak
Reporters - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The chief benefit foreseen by the government and sectors of society that support the fractionalized sale of medications proposed by the National Sanitary Protection Agency (Anvisa) is the cost savings to the population, which will be able to purchase the exact amount indicated in the prescription. This is the finding of a public consultation that was concluded on April 3. The results were announced yesterday (13).

Another potential benefit of fractionalized sales is to reduce the possibility of self-medication, a problem due mainly to leftover medicines.

The Anvisa estimates that 20% of medicines go to waste in Brazilian hospitals. Data from the Brazilian Federation of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Febrafarma) show that earnings in this sector amounted to US$ 7.7 billion (R$ 19.8 billion) last year. That means that the country wastes around US$ 1.5 billion (R$ 4 billion) each year. The State alone, which buys 25% of all remedies that are sold, could save US$ 390 million (R$ 1 billion).

The director of the Anvisa, Dirceu Raposo de Mello, informed that, within 45 days at most, some pharmacies will be selling medicines on a fractionalized basis. To do so, pharmacies must present credentials to the local sanitary protection office and obtain authorization for this kind of sale with a seal of identification.

Remedies that come in the form of vials, ampoules, and pills, for example, can be fractionalized. To purchase a fractionalized remedy, consumers should present the doctor's or dentist's prescription, which will be returned stamped and signed by the pharmacist with a declaration that the medication was delivered. Fractionalized medicine should be accompanied by a set of directions for each patient.

Translation: David Silberstein