0257/2025 - Preço como um desafio à sustentabilidade da política de acesso universal a antirretrovirais no SUS: o caso dolutegravir Price as a challenge to the sustainability of the universal access policy to antiretrovirals in the SUS: the case of dolutegravir
O preço dos antirretrovirais (ARV) continua sendo um desafio para a garantia da assistência farmacêutica universal, integral e igualitária. O artigo teve como objetivo analisar a aquisição do ARV mais utilizado atualmente no Brasil, comparando preços nacionais e internacionais. Foi realizada análise documental do histórico de aquisição nacional do dolutegravir (DTG) entre 2017 e 2023. A comparação de preços baseou-se em relatórios da Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), considerando variações cambiais e da inflação. A aquisição de DTG iniciou-se em 2016 junto à GSK. Em 2022, versões genéricas de Farmanguinhos e Lafepe foram distribuídas, mas uma barreira patentária restringiu a aquisição junto ao Lafepe. Houve grande diferença entre preços nacionais e internacionais, mesmo com a entrada de genéricos no mercado brasileiro: em 2023, o preço de genéricos internacionais foi quase 12 vezes menor de aquisição nacional. O caso do DTG evidencia a importância do monitoramento dos preços, das barreiras patentárias, da produção local e do conhecimento da estrutura dos custos de produção para a negociação de preços justos e garantia da sustentabilidade da política nacional de assistência farmacêutica.
Palavras-chave:
Acesso a Medicamentos Essenciais e Tecnologias em Saúde; Preço de Medicamento; Antirretrovirais; Propriedade Intelectual de Produtos e Processos Farmacêuticos
Abstract:
The price of antiretrovirals (ARV) remains a challenge for guaranteeing universal, comprehensive and equitable pharmaceutical services. The article aimed to analyze the acquisition of the most widely used ARV in Brazil, comparing national and international prices. A documentary analysis of the history of dolutegravir (DTG) national procurement between 2017 and 2023 was carried out. The price comparison was based on reports from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), considering exchange rate and inflation variations. The procurement of DTG began in 2016 with GSK. In 2022, generic versions from Farmanguinhos and Lafepe were distributed, but a patent barrier restricted the procurement from Lafepe. There was a large difference between national and international prices, even with the entry of generics into the Brazilian market: in 2023, the price of international generics was almost 12 times lower than that of the national procurement. The DTG case highlights the importance of monitoring prices, patent barriers, local production and of getting to know the structure of production costs in order to negotiate fair prices and ensure the sustainability of the national pharmaceutical assistance policy.
Keywords:
Access to Essential Medicines and Health Technologies; Drug Price; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Intellectual Property of Pharmaceutic Products and Process
Price as a challenge to the sustainability of the universal access policy to antiretrovirals in the SUS: the case of dolutegravir
Resumo (abstract):
The price of antiretrovirals (ARV) remains a challenge for guaranteeing universal, comprehensive and equitable pharmaceutical services. The article aimed to analyze the acquisition of the most widely used ARV in Brazil, comparing national and international prices. A documentary analysis of the history of dolutegravir (DTG) national procurement between 2017 and 2023 was carried out. The price comparison was based on reports from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), considering exchange rate and inflation variations. The procurement of DTG began in 2016 with GSK. In 2022, generic versions from Farmanguinhos and Lafepe were distributed, but a patent barrier restricted the procurement from Lafepe. There was a large difference between national and international prices, even with the entry of generics into the Brazilian market: in 2023, the price of international generics was almost 12 times lower than that of the national procurement. The DTG case highlights the importance of monitoring prices, patent barriers, local production and of getting to know the structure of production costs in order to negotiate fair prices and ensure the sustainability of the national pharmaceutical assistance policy.
Palavras-chave (keywords):
Access to Essential Medicines and Health Technologies; Drug Price; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Intellectual Property of Pharmaceutic Products and Process
Lopes, LMN, Scopel, CT, Hallal, RC, Andreoli, GLM, Barreira, D, Freire, MV, França, FAP. Preço como um desafio à sustentabilidade da política de acesso universal a antirretrovirais no SUS: o caso dolutegravir. Cien Saude Colet [periódico na internet] (2025/jul). [Citado em 27/01/2026].
Está disponível em: http://cienciaesaudecoletiva.com.br/artigos/preco-como-um-desafio-a-sustentabilidade-da-politica-de-acesso-universal-a-antirretrovirais-no-sus-o-caso-dolutegravir/19733?id=19733
