This Tuesday (15), 28 drugs used by pharmacies in the state health network of São Paulo were in total or partial shortage. This is what a document points out that the sheet had access, prepared by the Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination of the State Health Department.
Of the missing substances, 16 are the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and 12, of the state government itself. Both said they are working to resolve the issue.
Of the 28, four are in total shortage. Injectable epoetin alfa 1000 iu for the treatment of anemia in patients with chronic renal failure who are dialysis-dependent and deferasirox 125 mg for chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions are federal responsibility.
In the same situation are clobetasol ointment, 0.5 mg/g, indicated for the treatment of skin diseases such as psoriasis, and naproxen 250 mg, for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis — both acquired by the State Health Department.
The main medication to control epilepsy is on the list: it is Levetiracetam, in 250 mg, 750 mg and 100 mg/ml presentations – 100 ml bottle (oral solution).
The drug was included in the list of medications for epilepsy in the SUS (Unified Health System) in 2017, but made available only in 2020 due to the delay in publishing the clinical protocol and therapeutic guidelines for epilepsy.
The ABE (Brazilian Association of Epilepsy) states that the lack is widespread throughout the country.
According to Maria Alice Susemihl, president of the entity, the interruption in treatment brings back seizures. “There is a social, professional and family impact. And every time there is a resumption of treatment, some people need to increase the dosage”, she says.
In addition to those already mentioned, the list includes azithromycin 500 mg, bezafibrate 400 mg, budesonide 200 mcg, calcipotriol 50 mcg/g, injectable desferroxamine 500 mg, fenofibrate 250 mg, gemfibrozil 600 mg, mesalazine 1g+diluent 100 ml, pravastatin 20 mg, oral enteral formula for children from one year of age (all responsibility of the State Health Department).
Purchased from the Ministry of Health, complete the list biotin 2.5 mg, cinacalcet 60 mg, entacapone 200 mg, infliximab 10 mg/ml for injection, mycophenolate sodium 180 mg, octreotide lar 10 mg for injection, rituximab 500 mg for injection, teriflunomide 14 mg .
Through a note, the Ministry of Health states that it maintains all efforts to ensure the supply of medicines offered by SUS.
“For the schedule of the first quarter of 2022 of levetiracetam for the state of São Paulo, the folder delivered, in January, more than 682 thousand pills of 250 mg. For the presentation of 100mg/ml, 9,770 pills were delivered in the month of February . Another 1,494 units are available for shipment to the state, which needs to schedule the receipt of this batch”, says the text.
In relation to injectable epoetin alfa 1,000 iu, the Ministry of Health said that it fully met the demands presented by the state, in a total of 264 units. About deferasirox 125 mg, the agency claims that it delivered more than 1,500 units to the state in February.
Also through a note, the State Department of Health said that oral enteral formula for children has already been purchased and is being distributed to pharmacies. Mesalazine and naproxen 250 mg are in the process of being acquired, with resupply scheduled for the second half of April.
Azithromycin 500 mg, bezafibrate 400 mg, clobetasol 0.5 mg/g cream and fenofibrate 250 mg were delayed in delivery by suppliers and are being billed by the folder.
Desferrioxamine 500 mg injectable and pravastatin 20 mg have been discontinued by the manufacturers and therefore the secretariat is in dialogue with the suppliers. The medications budesonide 200 mcg, calcipotriol 50 mcg/g ointment, gemfibrozil 600 mg are in the repurchase phase.
Recently, the state of São Paulo charged the Ministry of Health for the lack of 64 medicines and an input.
On February 22, the State Health Department and the Council of Municipal Health Secretaries of the State of São Paulo (Cosems-SP) sent a document to the Department of Pharmaceutical Assistance of the Ministry of Health regarding the sequence of complications in the supply of medicines for high cost, oncological and insulin needle pens purchased by the agency and distributed to the State Health Department.
According to the official letter, the problem has been going on since June 2021. Since then, according to the document, in some cases, delivery is delayed; in others, the federal government distributes a smaller and insufficient amount. During the period, there were also situations of total shortages.
The official letter, signed by the president of Cosems-SP, Geraldo Reple Sobrinho, and the executive secretary of Health of São Paulo, Eduardo Ribeiro, charged the ministry with the immediate regularization of the supply of medicines and a contingency plan to avoid the lack of stock between the deliveries.
Regarding the notes made in the letter, through a note, the Ministry of Health says that it maintains efforts to guarantee the supply of medicines offered by the SUS.
According to the agency, the amount requested by the São Paulo State Health Department for patient care, referring to the first quarter, is scheduled for this week.
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