Ministry of Health's spending on drugs: program trends from 2002 to 2007

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the evolution of the Ministry of Health's spending on drugs. METHODS: The Ministry of Health's total (aggregate) spending on drugs and its programs' (not aggregate) were analyzed between 2002 and 2007. Actions that financed drug acquisition were obtained from the Siga Brasil system and classified according to pharmaceutical service programs. Settled values were identified for each program. For 2006 and 2007, antiretroviral drug acquisitions were analyzed. As regards drugs from the Programa de Dispensacao em Carater Excepcional (Exceptional Circumstance Drug Distribution Program), budget action data were compared to those available in the Sistema Unico de Sa de (Unified Health System). Values obtained were deflated by applying the Indice de Precos ao Consumidor Amplo (Broad Consumer Price Index). Exploratory data analysis was subsequently performed. RESULTS: Spending in 2007 was 3.2 times higher than 2002 and drug spending participation in total spending rose from 5.4% in 2002 to 10.7% in 2007. Primary care drug spending increased by 75%, and strategic program spending by 124%. In the case of antiretroviral drugs, the increase was about 6%, but with an increase by 77% from 2005 to 2006, followed by a reduction by 29% from 2006 to 2007. The most significant increase in spending was observed with exceptional circumstance distribution drugs, 252% between 2003 and 2007. CONCLUSIONS: There was significant increase in drug spending between 2002 and 2007, with greater participation of antiretroviral and exceptional circumstance distribution drugs, which are comprised by a large number of patent-protected pharmaceuticals.