Ceiling for medication readjustment in 2024 is 4.5%

Ministry of Health

This is the smallest adjustment since 2020

The Medicines Market Regulation Chamber (CMED) set the adjustment ceiling for medicines at 4.5% this year, the Ministry of Health (MS) reported this Friday (29).

The percentage increase, the lowest since 2020, can be applied from April 1st and does not imply an automatic adjustment:

“The percentage is not an automatic increase in prices, but a definition of a permitted adjustment ceiling”, warned the ministry.

“To arrive at the index, CMED observes factors such as inflation over the last 12 months (IPCA), the productivity of the pharmaceutical industries, costs not captured by inflation, such as exchange rates and electricity tariffs, and market competition, as determined the calculation defined since 2005”, informed the ministry.

The index for adjusting drug prices coincided with the variation in the Broad National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) over the last 12 months, which registered an increase of 4.5%, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.

“Brazil today adopts a price regulation policy focused on protecting citizens, always establishing a ceiling for the percentage of increase to protect people and avoid abusive price increases”, commented Carlos Gadelha, Secretary of Science, Technology, Innovation and MS Health Complex

The Chamber that regulates the price of medicines in Brazil is an interministerial body responsible for regulating the medicines market in the country. The board is made up of representatives from the Ministries of Health, Civil Affairs, Justice and Public Security, Finance and Development. The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) also participates in the body, providing technical support for decisions.

“CMED sets limits on drug prices, adopts rules that encourage competition in the sector, monitors sales and applies penalties when its rules are broken. It is also responsible for establishing and monitoring the application of the mandatory minimum discount for public purchases”, informs the Chamber.

*With information from Agência Brasil

Read more:

Free Amazon without foot-and-mouth disease: livestock farmers highlight the importance of vaccination in herds

Inspection shows that building hit by fire in Recife is not at risk of collapsing

Moraes denies returning passport requested by Bolsonaro