Health lets 56 million contraceptives expire – 04/24/2023 – Health

The Ministry of Health lost 56 million birth control pills that expired in March. The products were purchased during the administration of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and had been stocked since 2021.

The folder’s input data has been confidential since 2018, and remains so by decision of the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government. The information obtained by Sheet indicate that batches with over 60 million pills may still expire from April to June.

Indicated to prevent pregnancy and used in the treatment of conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, the contraceptive from expired batches is administered orally and combines two hormones, ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel.

In a note, Health states that the accumulation of contraceptives is the result of lower demand in recent years due to the pandemic. “Allied to the lack of articulation with the states on the part of the past management, which did not prioritize the agenda of women’s sexual and reproductive rights”, the folder also said.

Former Minister of Health Marcelo Queiroga (in office between March 2021 and December 2022) said that the Bolsonaro government encouraged the use of contraceptives and that the demand for delivery of the product comes from states and municipalities.

“Obviously, this assertion that the previous government did not encourage the use of oral contraceptives is unfounded. The management of the SUS is tripartite, therefore, the indication for the use of oral contraceptives is made by doctors in the states and municipalities”, said the former minister.

“Contrary to what they say, we understand that family planning should be done using contraceptive methods, instead of encouraging abortion”, completed Queiroga.

Health does not confirm data on drug stocks or product values. This is because since 2018 the federal government has kept the list of stored products confidential.

The period in which the data are under reserve was five years, dropped to two during the Bolsonaro administration and, under Lula, was reduced to one year.

That is, only in April 2024 will it be possible to know what is currently in the Health stock.

In the new information classification term that kept the list of SUS products hidden, signed in March, Health claims that disclosing the data may pose a risk to the country’s financial stability and threaten the life, safety and health of the population.

According to the folder, if the inventory level of the products were disclosed in real time, companies could reduce or raise the prices of medicines.

In addition, the Health said that the information could jeopardize the security of institutions or high national or foreign authorities and their families.

For this reason, the Lula government decided to open the confidentiality only of stocks of expired and incinerated products.

As revealed to Sheetthe Ministry of Health has lost about BRL 2.2 billion in medicines, vaccines, insulin pens, tests and other products since 2019. In that period, at least 39 million immunizers against Covid have won.

After the revelation of the lost stock, federal deputy Daniel Soranz (PSD-RJ) visited the warehouse of the Ministry of Health, in Guarulhos (SP), on the last 14th.

In a report presented to the Chamber’s Financial Inspection and Control Commission, Soranz states that “the lack of organization and articulation between purchasing processes, logistics and the needs of the population is evident”.

The deputy also suggested, among other points, that stock data be presented on a public portal.

According to the congressman’s report, there are 1.4 billion items stored in the warehouse.

“There is a lot of medicine to win. The total disorganization and destruction of the Ministry’s technical areas in the purchasing processes is evident, people buy in large quantities, often without knowing where they are going to distribute it”, said Soranz.

Minister Nísia Trindade told deputies on Wednesday (19) that Health is evaluating the disclosure of more data on the stock.

“There were some notes that, in the case of stocks of some drugs, this could even be used to force some shortage, lack of drugs. As there was a note in that direction, we are doing an evaluation, but it is perfectly possible to give access”, he said.

In a statement, Health said it is committed to strengthening women’s health care policies.

“With a focus on health promotion strategies and the guarantee of sexual and reproductive rights, as well as ensuring quality care in the public network, including access to contraceptive methods and guidance on the different types of methods and what best suits the individual choice of each one”, said Saúde.

The folder states that it talks with managers of states and municipalities and companies to avoid new waste of inputs, with priority given to the delivery of short-term inventory.

“The folder dialogues with manufacturing laboratories to use, when possible, exchange commitment letters as an emergency measure to avoid the loss of essential inputs for the provision of health services. and give the appropriate final destination without burden to the public administration”.