This year they already did an analysis to include Ozempic, but it was denied, probably because of the cost difference...
But they were trying on justice to extend the patent...
Still, after dapagliflozin I'm ready to believe it. There's also the fact semaglutide will straight up win votes for politicians that provide it.
I expect it to mirror the evolution of dapagliflozin in SUS: it will be offered unconditionally at first, then as they start to feel the weight of the costs involved they'll start imposing conditions and forcing patients to go through endless bureaucracy to get their medication. Age requirements, comorbity requirements, obnoxious paperwork that "justifies" the need for such a drug. Oh I'll gladly fill out those forms...
Also, Rio mayor already said he will just give to everyone basically lol
You also need to remind that on a public health care system, having less obese people means you'll spend less on health care.
That said, I believe it will go even further.
To get medication through the SUS, you only need a prescription from a doctor. Any doctor. So even if the SUS itself don't prescribe, you can just find a doctor who will do it...
But, likely SUS will prescribe anyway. Rio mayor:
"Rio will be a city where there will be no more chubby people; everyone will be taking Ozempic at family clinics." "Said the mayor, adding that he has already taken the medication. He claimed to have lost 30kg with the medication."
sadly rio is exporting them.
Not in all cases. They can and will make the patient and multiple doctors fill out half a dozen forms to "justify" the use of an expensive medication.
Probably won't happen at first, politicians need to make good on their promises after all. But it will happen. I just got done filling out the forms for a COPD medication that's much cheaper than semaglutide. Only political intervention can save it.
But any doctor can do it, not just SUS doctors. You know the country we live in. Private doctors will do the prescription... Actually, to buy it you already need a prescription, and yet, even skinny healthy folks buy ozempic.
And to get in the SUS, it's pretty simple here in Paraná at least (and as a SUS user). The worst that happens, it's that for expensive/controlled medicines, they centralize into a single public pharmacy in the city center, and you need to schedule a day/time, and bring the ID - don't even need to be the user, you can ask anyone you want to get it if the prescription and ID it's there.
Which is why for my cheap medicine, I prefer to buy it. Not worth for me going to city center only for 30 pills that cost R$ 15.
... an hour's wage? a week? a month? annual?
Minimum wage in brazil is 280/month. I don't know how much of it would be taken by taxes, but even if it's 0 then ozempic in Brazil still costs almost 70% of that amount each month.
$(recurring dose of drug) ~= $(recurring income)
However much you need per unit time period, compared to how much you make in that time period.
The definition is independent of time.