title: Access to medicines for diabetes treatment in Brazil: evaluation of "health has no price" program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2011, private pharmacies associated to the Brazilian Ministry of Health provided patients with two types of insulin (regular human insulin and isophane insulin or NPH) and three oral antidiabetic medications (5 mg glibenclamide and 500 and 850 mg metformin) free of charge. The aim was to evaluate the impact of the "Health Has No Price" Program [Saúde Não Tem Preço (SNTP)] for access to diabetes treatment medicines in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This longitudinal and observational study is based on the number of units of oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin and insulin analogues supplied in 55,000 private pharmacies from February 1, 2010 to January 31, 2012. The number of tablets (oral hypoglycemic agents) and international units (insulins and insulin analogues) supplied in the first 12 months of the SNTP Program were compared with the number of tablets and international units supplied in the 12 months prior to its implementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The insulins in the SNTP program had the highest percentage change in the number of international units supplied; regular human insulin increased by 97.8 % and isophane insulin (NPH) by 78.0 %. Among the oral hypoglycemic agents, 5 mg glibenclamide increased by 65.9 %, and 500 and 850 mg metformin increased by 46.8 and 39.9 %, respectively, in the number of tablets dispensed in the first year of the SNTP Program. Among the hypoglycemic agents not available in SNTP, 4 mg glimepiride had the highest percentage increase in units supplied (19.2 %) in the same period. Among the insulin analogues, which were not available in the SNTP Program, insulin glulisine showed the greatest increase in units dispensed (34.2 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SNTP Program contributed to increased access to medicines for the treatment of diabetes in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação stricto sensu em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Sorocaba, Rod Raposo Tavares, Km 92,5, Sorocaba, SP 18023-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: João Leopoldo Oliveira
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação stricto sensu em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Sorocaba, Rod Raposo Tavares, Km 92,5, Sorocaba, SP 18023-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Donato
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação stricto sensu em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Sorocaba, Rod Raposo Tavares, Km 92,5, Sorocaba, SP 18023-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Cássia Bergamaschi
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação stricto sensu em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Sorocaba, Rod Raposo Tavares, Km 92,5, Sorocaba, SP 18023-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Sá Del Fiol
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação stricto sensu em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Sorocaba, Rod Raposo Tavares, Km 92,5, Sorocaba, SP 18023-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciane Cruz
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Inês
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: de Toledo
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação stricto sensu em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Sorocaba, Rod Raposo Tavares, Km 92,5, Sorocaba, SP 18023-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barberato-Filho
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Health policy; Health services accessibility; Health systems; Hypoglycemic agents