A redução de custos na compra de medicamentos é preocupação constante dos administradores públicos. Este artigo analisa a cobertura e custos do Consórcio Paraná Saúde (CPS), constituído para aquisição de medicamentos para prefeituras do Paraná. A cobertura abrangeu os municípios participantes e suas populações. Os custos dos medicamentos adquiridos foram comparados com os valores constantes no Banco de Preços do Ministério da Saúde (BP/MS). Até o final de 2000, o CPS atingia 88,2% dos municípios e 55,6% da população paranaense. Dos municípios participantes, 83,5% possuíam menos de 20 mil habitantes. Foram comparados os preços de 55 itens constantes na lista de compras do CPS e no BP/MS em 2000. Destes, 46 apresentaram preços menores nas compras do CPS, um teve preço igual e oito apresentaram preços maiores. A aquisição pelo consórcio teve o custo de R$ 332.397,70 (29,7%) a menos do que custaria com os preços apontados no BP/MS. A constituição do CPS mostrou-se uma boa estratégia administrativa de farmacoeconomia, propiciando agilidade e racionalidade no uso dos recursos financeiros, possibilitando a ampliação do acesso da população aos medicamentos.

Public administrators are always concerned in reducing the costs of drug purchases. This article analyzes the coverage and costs of the Paraná Health Consortium (CPS) which was created to purchase drugs for municipalities of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Coverage included the participating municipalities and their populations. The costs of the acquired drugs were compared to the values available in the Price Database of the Health Department (BP/MS). Until the end of 2000, the CPS had covered 88.2% of the municipalities and 55.6% of the Paraná population. Among the participating municipalities, 83.5% had fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. The prices of 55 items available on the purchase list of the CPS and in the BP/ MS were compared: 46 were lower, one was the same and eight were higher than those of the BP/MS. Acquisition by the consortium has cost R$ 332,397.70 (29.7%) less than that by the BP/MS standards. The implementation of the CPS was found to be a good administrative strategy of pharmacoeconomics which led to agility and rationality in the use of financial resources, allowing wider access of the population to drugs.