Comparative analysis of pharmaceutical assistance policies between Brazil and Cuba: an integrative review

• Autor(a) principal: Paladini, Sheyla Velasques
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Rocha, Cristianne Maria Famer, Petersen, Leticia Lassen
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Cadernos Ibero-Americanos de Direito Sanitário (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.cadernos.prodisa.fiocruz.br/index.php/cadernos/article/view/407
• topic: Assistência Farmacêutica; Políticas de Saúde; Saúde Pública; Pharmaceutical Assistance; Health Policies; Public Health; Asistencia Farmacéutica; Políticas de Salud; Salud Pública

Introduction: Brazil and Cuba have universal health systems, heavily financed and regulated by the public sector. This study aims to compare the national health systems of Brazil and Cuba, focusing on the respective Pharmaceutical Assistance Policies. Methodology: this is an integrative review of the literature. Results: 48 Cuban articles and 171 Brazilian articles were found. After analysis, 5 Cuban articles on Pharmaceutical Assistance Policies in Cuba and 21 Brazilian articles on Pharmaceutical Assistance Policy in Brazil were selected. Discussion: despite of the cultural, historical, geographical, etc, differences both are developing countries with national health systems whose purpose is universal and the access is free . Nevertheless, these systems have sound  differences in economic and governance aspects, which may explain Cuba's superior results in indicators of public health and quality of life. Conclusion: In Cuba, medicines are provided by the State. In Brazil, medicines can be directly supplied under the terms of the respective National Drug Policy and Pharmaceutical Assistance Policy, or purchased in private pharmacies subsidized by programs such as the Popular Pharmacy. In this sense, the Brazilian system is more complex, which makes it more susceptible to governance failures and market failures.