title: [Affordability and availability of drugs for treatment of chronic diseases in the public health care system].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the affordability by workers of drugs used for treatment of chronic diseases, as well as the availability of the reference, similar, or generic forms of these drugs in the public health care system.
  
  
  METHODS
  We employed the methodology recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI) for the standardized collection of information on selling prices in the private sector and availability in the public health care system of drugs in six cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data were collected from November 2008 to January 2009. Affordability was estimated as the number of salary days required for a worker receiving the national minimum wage to buy, in a private pharmacy, the amount of medication required for one month of treatment. Availability was assessed by the presence of these drugs in public health care system facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two public facilities and 30 private pharmacies were studied. Of 21 drugs used for the treatment of seven chronic disorders, only nine were available free of charge in the six cities. Mean availability ranged from 83.3% (São Leopoldo) to 97.6% (Caxias do Sul). Affordability ranged from 0.4 to 10.5 salary days for reference drugs, 0.2 to 8.4 salary days for similar drugs, and 0.3 to 3.8 salary days for generic drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall availability of the drugs surveyed was higher than the 80% recommended by WHO. However, some treatments were not available, or had limited availability in the public system. Concerning affordability, the number of salary days required to buy these drugs may affect the continuation of drug treatments for chronic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil. aninhahelfer@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Helfer
authors.forename: Aline Lins
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Noemia Urruth Leão
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Panos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kanavos
authors.forename: Andréa Dâmaso
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D001938:Brazil; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution*
chemical_list: D016568:Drugs, Generic; D055553:Prescription Drugs