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Published on: December 11, 2016
[Generic drug policy implementation in Brazil]
Cláudia Regina Cilento Dias1, Nicolina Silvana Romano-Lieber
1Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
Brazil's generic drug policy, implemented in 1999, saw significant market growth due to legislative adaptation and government support. While access to medicines didn't rise, affordable, quality-assured generic drugs became available.
Area of Science:
- Health Policy
- Pharmaceutical Economics
- Public Health
Context:
- Brazil implemented a national generic drug policy in 1999.
- The policy's rollout involved complex political and administrative stages.
- Legislation for generic drugs was approved between 1999 and 2002.
Purpose:
- To describe the implementation process of Brazil's generic drug policy.
- To examine the evolution of generic drug legislation in Brazil.
- To analyze the factors contributing to the success of the generic drug policy.
Summary:
- The study details the implementation of Brazil's generic drug policy, analyzing legislation from 1999-2002.
- Key success factors included ongoing legislative adaptation, media support, and government engagement.
- A mixed-methods approach involved analyzing periodical articles and interviewing key stakeholders.
Impact:
- Generic drugs rapidly acquired a substantial market share in Brazil.
- The policy resulted in more affordable medicines with assured quality and interchangeability.
- Population access to medicines did not significantly increase, despite policy implementation.
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