The presentation in the Chamber of an urgent request for the bill that allows the sale of medicines exempt from medical prescription in supermarkets heated up the spirits in the pharmaceutical and supermarket sectors.
Apas (Associação Paulista de Supermercados), which defends the release, says it hopes to see the agenda taken to the plenary soon.
The association argues that today there is a monopoly on the sale of this type of medicine and that the measure could serve to reduce prices.
The discussion is old. In the most recent moves, a similar proposal had already been presented in 2018, but ended up being shelved. The current bill, by deputy Glaustin Fokus (PSC-GO), was presented in 2019.
Abrafarma, a pharmaceutical retail association, is against the proposal arguing that supermarkets do not have the assistance of pharmacists.
Nelson Mussolini, from Sindusfarma, which brings together the industry, says that “any strategy that encourages the expansion of access to medicines is positive and should be encouraged”. He points out that health legislation must be followed in all cases.
Joana Cunha with Paulo Ricardo Martins and Gilmara Santos
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