Medicines can rise up to 5.6% as of this Saturday (1st). So, it is important for the consumer to start researching to guarantee a good discount and even avoid abusive prices.
The increase projection is from the Union of Pharmaceutical Industries of the State of São Paulo (Sindusfarma). The estimate was based on the rules that establish the readjustment of drug prices, such as the Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA), plus productivity factors and price adjustments for each sector.
Subscribe to O POVO+
Get access to all exclusive content, columnists, unlimited access and discounts in stores, pharmacies and much more.
Related news:
Retired Gilberto Camargos, a resident of Vicente Pires, in the Federal District, says that he has all his income committed to medication. He said he earns the minimum wage per month and spends more than R$2,000 on medication alone. “It is indescribable how much (the readjustment) will harm the survival of someone like me, who depends on the minimum possible to survive and still has to spend everything on medicine. Now the medicine goes up, but the salary remains the same”, criticized.
A study by the Brazilian Institute of Consumer Defense (Idec) points out that the price ceiling for medicines does not prevent abusive readjustments in purchases made by consumers in pharmacies. This is the case, for example, of Clavulin, an antibiotic, which can reach up to 86% difference in prices. As for generic drugs, the variation was between 384% in omeprazole, a medicine for gastritis, and 91.9% in atenalol, an antihypertensive.
For the coordinator of the Idec Health Program, Ana Carolina Navarréte, the consumer should search in websites or physical stores or even participate in programs of companies that ask for the CPF to find the best values.
“Idec recommends that the consumer, first of all, research, never accept the first price he finds, he can do this on the internet, calling the pharmacy. Another thing is to evaluate participation in programs like Popular Pharmacy, it makes a lot of difference a program like this and it can give a discount of up to 90% on some medications.”
The readjustment in medicines is made annually, from March 31, by the Chamber of Regulation of the Medicines Market (Cmed).
The increase this year will reach around 10,000 drugs available on the Brazilian market.
