Among the various management tools used in the Unified Health System (SUS), regulation has been treated with greater relevance. This study aimed to review the issue on health regulation and its potential for implementation of health activities. Forty-eight articles were selected, published in several online databases, between 1989 and 2011. Because it is a balancing mechanism between supply and demand, regulation seeks the provision of healthcare services and resources tailored to the needs of the population, ensuring access to quality based on the guiding principles of SUS.
Health regulation; Health services accessibility; Health management; Health public policies