Abstract
This paper aims to analyse changes in the retail pharmaceutical market following policy changes in the Farmácia Popular Program (FP), a medicines subsidy program in Brazil. The retrospective longitudinal analyses focus on therapeutic class of agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system. Data obtained from QuintilesIMS (formerly IMS Health) included private retail pharmacy sales volume (pharmaceutical units) and sales values from 2002 to 2013. Analyses evaluated changes in market share following key FP policy changes. The therapeutic class was selected due to its relevance to hypertension treatment. Market share was analysed by therapeutic sub-classes and by individual company. Losartan as a single product accounted for the highest market share among angiotensin II antagonists. National companies had higher sales volume during the study period, while multinational companies had higher sales value. Changes in pharmaceutical market share coincided with the inclusion of specific products in the list of medicines covered by FP and with increases in or exemption from patient copayment.
Pharmaceutical trade; Antihypertensive agents; Interrupted time series analysis; Pharmaceutical services; Government programs
ACE inhibitor — Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor. ARB — Angiotensin receptor blockers. ARB’s (combination) — C09D1 and C09D3 subclasses. ARB’s (single drug) — C09C0 subclass. ACE inhibitor (combination) — C09B1 and C09B3 subclass. ACE inhibitor (single drug) — C09A0.
FP-Gov — implementation of the program in public sector; AFP-I — expansion for private sector; AFP-II — reduction of reference prices and consequent increase patient copayment; SNP — all covered medicines for hypertension and diabetes being free of charge to patients.