Review of Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Care by SES/RS Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee

Abstract

The list of medicines provided on an outpatient basis by the State Health Department of Rio Grande do Sul (SES/RS) included all medicines incorporated by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Care (SCPC). However, there was a necessity to review this list, based on the profile and needs of the population of RS, with the objective of reducing costs and increasing access to essential medicines. The SES/RS Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee developed a technical-scientific method of evaluating this drugs list, based on the guidelines published by MoH, with the objective of building the RS State List of Medicines with greater rationality and administrative efficiency, that includes drugs considered essential in the RS. Using this method, drugs were classified according to SCPS funding group, pharmacological class, route of administration, and possible technical specificities that make them indispensable within each line of care; then, were compared to possible therapeutic alternatives within each MoH guideline. In addition, the history of drug demand in the RS, the current possibility of purchase and its cost compared to therapeutic alternatives were also considered. There was a recommendation to exclude 37 (11.4%) items, without affecting the treatment of patients. All drugs excluded have a therapeutic alternative of the same pharmacological class within the MoH guideline.